MP town inspector killed by truck while probing suspected illicit liquor smuggling

A town inspector (TI) in Madhya Pradesh’s Khategaon was killed after a truck driver ran him over when he stopped the vehicle for inspection in Dewas district on Sunday night, an officer said. The incident took place around 1.30 am on the Indore-Betul highway.

(HT Photo/ Representational)The incident took place around 1.30 am on the Indore-Betul highway. TI Dileep Puri was rushed to hospital, where doctors tried to revive him, but he succumbed to his injuries, Dewas superintendent of police Aditya Mishra said.

“Acting on a tip-off regarding smuggling of illicit liquor, Khategaon police led by TI Puri reached the highway. Nemawar police were also chasing the same truck. The police spotted the truck parked along the highway divider.

TI Puri came out of his vehicle and asked the driver to step out. The driver suddenly steered the truck onto the divider and tried to drive forward,” the officer said. The officer said the truck’s rear wheel ran over Puri, leaving him severely injured and causing heavy blood loss.

The driver then drove the truck over the road divider to the opposite side and abandoned it near Sandalpur before fleeing the spot. Police said the vehicle has been seized and taken to Sandalpur police station. Police are trying to trace the absconding driver and identify the owners of the truck and the liquor it was carrying.

Chief minister Mohan Yadav offered condolences and said special director general Upendra Jain has been immediately dispatched to the scene for the investigation of the incident. “Instructions have been given for a fair investigation and strict action in the matter,” he said.

The CM also announced to provide compassionate appointment to the wife of Puri on the post of SI and financial assistance of ₹1 crore to the family. The incident comes days after villagers in Dewas alleged that 13 people had died within a month after consuming spurious liquor in Chandana village.

Officials denied any link between the deaths and liquor consumption. However, 10 people were arrested last week for allegedly supplying illicit liquor in the area. I have spent over a decade chronicling Madhya Pradesh’s political and social landscape, covering politics, investigative journalism, crime, human interest, and government policy, blending sharp insight with ground‑level depth.

I have closely tracked three assembly elections, three Lok Sabha elections, leadership transitions in MP while exposing governance lapses, tender irregularities, and flawed policy rollouts. My reports have revealed gaps in the Cheetah project, irregularities in medical education, rigging in recruitment exams, and loopholes in policy implementation.

In crime reporting, I have moved beyond FIRs to map systemic patterns — from organised crime networks and gender‑based violence to custodial accountability — balancing urgency with sensitivity. My journalism is defined by a commitment to human interest.

I have profiled the marginalised Bancchda community, documented atrocities against tribal groups, and highlighted efforts to preserve their culture through heritage liquor and revival of spiritual practices. I have reported on farmers struggling with failed MSP promises, giving voice to those often reduced to statistics in policy files.

Passionate about field reporting, I have reported on rampant sand mining in Chambal and Narmada, pharmaceutical companies supplying medicines under altered names, the dire condition of schools and colleges, the plight of commercial sex workers, and skewed sex ratios in specific districts.

Beyond deadlines, and as HT’s state correspondent and assistant editor in Madhya Pradesh, I engage with ministers, farmers, students, and activists, believing the best policy stories begin with a single human voice. A postgraduate in Journalism and Mass Communication, I also hold a diploma in sports journalism.Read More