Bike skids on bad road in Jaitpur, kills youth; villagers block road 3 hours

A road accident in Jaitpur village, under Kelwad police station limits in Savner taluka, left the entire village angry after a 22-year-old man died. Enraged villagers kept his body on the road for nearly three hours in protest, saying the road's dilapidated and incomplete condition was the real cause of the accident.

The deceased was identified as Vikas Kantaram Ghugal. According to information received, Vikas was riding motorcycle number MH 31 V 5763 around 8 am when the bike skidded, and he died on the spot.

On learning of the incident, Hitesh Bansod of Hitjyoti Aadhar Foundation reached the spot immediately and informed Ashish Singh Thakur, in charge of Kelwad police station, following which the police swung into action.

According to villagers, the roughly one-and-a-half-kilometre road connecting Jaitpur village to the highway has been in poor condition for several years. Work on the road had begun a few days earlier but was left incomplete midway. Villagers allege that this unfinished and poor construction keeps the risk of accidents constantly high.

After Vikas's death, villagers' anger boiled over and they began directly questioning the administration on why the road work was stopped midway, why construction was being delayed so long, and why there was negligence over the quality of the road. Questions were also raised about the role of the local gram panchayat.

Angry villagers placed Vikas's body on the road and made clear that it would not be removed until the administration came to the spot and gave a firm assurance about the road's construction. Villagers said a 22-year-old had already lost his life and the administration should not wait for another accident. They demanded that the concerned department immediately complete the road work and fix responsibility for the delay in construction.

On receiving information, sub-divisional police officer Sagar Kharde and Kelwad station in-charge Ashish Singh Thakur reached the spot with a large police force. Police officers held a long conversation with villagers to try to calm them. Villagers demanded action against responsible officials, immediate compensation for the deceased's family and early completion of the road construction.

After the protest, which lasted about three hours, the body was finally sent for post-mortem to the primary health centre in Savner once police officers persuaded the villagers. The Kelwad police are investigating the matter further.