A severe law enforcement tragedy unfolded in the Dewas district of Madhya Pradesh when an on-duty police officer was fatally struck during an inspection drive. Dilip Puri, the station in-charge of Khategaon, was monitoring vehicular movement along the Indore-Betul highway alongside his team when the driver of a suspected Eicher truck ran over him while attempting to escape. Despite extensive medical resuscitation efforts spanning nearly two hours, the officer succumbed to his injuries, triggering an intensive manhunt across the region.
Fatal Encounter During Highway Interception
The operation was initiated after the Khategaon police received intelligence concerning the movement of illicit liquor through the sector. Acting on this input, station in-charge Dilip Puri deployed personnel onto the Indore-Betul highway to screen incoming commercial vehicles and intercept unauthorized consignments.
When a suspicious Eicher truck approached the checkpoint, the officer signaled it to pull over and instructed the driver to step down for questioning. Defying police commands, the driver surged forward and mounted the highway divider to bypass the barricade. In the process, the rear wheel of the accelerating vehicle passed directly over Dilip Puri, inflicting fatal trauma. Fellow officers transported him immediately to a medical facility where doctors administered CPR and emergency care for approximately two hours, but could not revive him.
Vehicle Abandoned in Sandalpur as Hunt Continues
Following the collision, the driver sped away from the highway checkpoint and deserted the truck in Sandalpur before absconding on foot. Law enforcement units subsequently recovered the abandoned vehicle and initiated tracking operations to locate the driver.
Assessing the gravity of the incident, Dewas Superintendent of Police Aditya Mishra arrived in Khategaon at around 3:30 AM to review the scene and brief investigative units. Special teams have been formed to track down the fugitive driver and uncover the supply chain behind the contraband cargo.
Relief Package and Compassionate Appointment
Expressing profound grief over the officer's demise, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav paid tribute and addressed the family's loss. He posted on X that losing an officer in the line of duty is immensely painful.
To guarantee a thorough inquiry, the Chief Minister dispatched Special DG Upendra Jain directly to the site of the incident with instructions to take rigorous action against those responsible. Furthermore, the state government sanctioned ₹1 crore in financial assistance for the bereaved family and directed that the late officer's wife be granted a compassionate appointment to the post of Sub-Inspector (SI).
Political Condolences and Reassurance of Strict Action
Former Chief Minister and Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan also conveyed his sorrow regarding the sacrifice made by the police official. He stated on X that the officer performed his duty with utmost courage and made the supreme sacrifice.
Madhya Pradesh Cabinet Minister Vishwas Kailash Sarang emphasized that an exhaustive investigation is mandatory to establish every sequence of the event. Sarang remarked that jumping to conclusions prematurely would not be appropriate, but assured that the harshest possible measures will be enforced against whichever individuals are found guilty. Police searches remain underway across the district to apprehend the absconding driver.
