The body of a 27-year-old accident victim was left on the road for over four hours on Sunday night, January 5, as police from Madhya Pradesh (MP) and Uttar Pradesh (UP) argued over jurisdiction.
Here’s what happened
The victim, Rahul Ahirwar, was a resident of Mahoba district in Uttar Pradesh, who recently got married and had been traveling to Delhi for work when the accident occurred.
Rahul was hit by an unidentified vehicle around 7:00 PM while crossing a highway near the Madhya Pradesh-Uttar Pradesh border.
He died on the spot. Despite the urgency, police officials from both states delayed action, leaving the victim’s family and local residents helpless.
UP and MP police argued over Jurisdiction
Locals immediately alerted Harpalpur police in Chhatarpur district, Madhya Pradesh, but officers allegedly left the scene after claiming that the accident had occurred in the jurisdiction of Mahobkanth police station in Uttar Pradesh.
The family and villagers then informed UP police, who also refused to intervene, stating the area fell under MP’s jurisdiction.
Meanwhile, Ahirwar’s grieving family was left waiting on the roadside, unable to move the body due to the legal requirement to preserve the accident scene.
A video circulating on social media shows a relative of the victim saying, “My cousin died in an accident, and no one is ready to take responsibility. MP police came and scolded us, saying it’s not their jurisdiction.”
Protest Erupted
As frustration mounted, local residents blocked the highway in protest, demanding action from the authorities. Eventually, around 11:00 PM, four hours after the accident, MP police returned to the site, retrieved the body, and sent it for autopsy. Traffic resumed after the body was removed and the road cleared.
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