BHOPAL: At least three people died and one other sustained serious injuries after a speeding SUV crashed into a roadside tree on the Bhopal-Indore highway in the early hours of Friday.According to Khajuri police, the incident occurred around 2.30am near the HP petrol pump at the turning near Fortune Hotel in the Khajuri locality. The impact of the crash was so severe that the car split into two parts, scattering debris across the road. Eyewitnesses reported that three of the occupants were thrown out of the car due to the force of the collision, while one remained trapped inside.The four friends—Vishal Dabi, 25, Pankaj Sisodiya, Preet Ahuja, and Rahul Kandare—visited Darbar Dhaba in Sehore for dinner and were returning to Bairagarh when the accident occurred.

The car, owned by Preet Ahuja’s brother, was being driven by Preet himself. Vishal was seated in the front passenger seat, with Pankaj and Rahul in the back.Tragically, Vishal, Pankaj, and Preet died on the spot, while Rahul was seriously injured and rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment.Initial police investigations revealed that Preet Ahuja ran his own clothing store and was driving his brother Kamlesh’s car.

Vishal Dabi was employed at a clothing shop and resided on Ara Machine Road in Bairagarh. Pankaj Sisodiya worked as a mechanic, while the injured Rahul also worked at a clothing shop.The police have begun investigating the cause of the crash and are expected to record the statement of the injured survivor once his condition stabilises.