Nagpur, India: A 22-year-old tractor driver, Harshal Deonath Aasole, tragically lost his life when his tractor overturned after veering off the highway near Swaminarayan Siddhanta Institute of Technology, Khapri-Bordoh, on Monday afternoon. The accident occurred around 3:30 pm in the Kalmeshwar Police Station area.

Harshal, a resident of Khapri (Kothe), taluka Kalmeshwar, was crushed under the weight of his tractor after it crossed a heap of "Murrum" and overturned. He had purchased the tractor just a month ago. Harshal was on his way to plough an agricultural field with his 14-year-old friend, Tanmaya Raju Chandel when the incident occurred.

The highway where the accident took place has been under construction for the past three years, with work stalled for reasons unknown. According to locals, numerous accidents have occurred due to the poor condition of the road, resulting in 15 fatalities so far. Villagers blamed the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) and the contractor for failing to take necessary safety measures during the ongoing construction.

Following the incident, residents of nearby villages, including local leaders like Sunil Karadbhajne, Sarpanch of Kohli, and Ritesh Parwarkar, ex-Sarpanch of Khapri-Ubgi, demanded that a case of culpable homicide not amounting to murder be registered against the contractor. They also urged authorities to expedite the completion of the road construction to prevent further accidents.