A tragic incident in Madhya Pradesh's Ujjain district has resulted in the death of one police officer and the disappearance of two others after their vehicle plunged into the Kshipra River. The incident occurred around 9 p.m. on Saturday, September 6, 2025, when the police car skidded off a bridge and into the swollen river following heavy rains.
The police personnel, identified as Unhel Police Station House Officer Ashok Sharma, Sub-Inspector Madan Lal Ninama, and Constable Aarti Pal, were en route to investigate a missing woman's case. According to officials, the Unhel police station is located approximately 50 km from the Ujjain district headquarters. While traveling from Ujjain to Chintaman, the vehicle reportedly lost control on a bridge lacking railings and was swept away by the strong current. Initial reports suggested that Sub-Inspector Ninama was also among the deceased; however, later reports indicate that he is still missing. Aarti Pal was driving the car when it lost balance.
Rescue operations were launched immediately, with teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and Home Guards deploying boats and drones to aid in the search. However, the operations were temporarily suspended around 1:30 a.m. due to darkness before resuming at 5:30 a.m. on Sunday. The body of Unhel Police Station House Officer Ashok Sharma was recovered from the river, approximately 8 km from the district headquarters, under the Bherugarh bridge. As of Sunday, efforts are still underway to locate the missing Sub-Inspector Madan Lal and Constable Aarti Pal, as well as the vehicle. The strong water flow in the river has made it difficult to ascertain the number of occupants and their condition.
Authorities have indicated that an investigation into the accident is expected to take place. The absence of railings on the bridge is being considered as a contributing factor to the accident.
Superintendent of Police (SP) Pradeep Sharma described the incident as "very tragic," stating that the police department had lost three valuable officers. He also noted that the NDRF team has been involved in the search since Sunday morning.
