Indian Navy Officers Vishnu Raghunathan and Ananth Krishnan Killed in Bhopal Road Accident
In a tragic incident on Sunday morning, two members of the Indian Navy, Chief Petty Officer Vishnu Raghunathan, aged 27 and a gold medalist at the 2024 Asia Cup, along with Petty Officer Ananth Krishnan, aged 18, were killed in a road accident in Bhopal.
The accident occurred around 3 a.m. in the Parwalia area when their motorcycle was struck by an unidentified speeding vehicle near Raksha Bihar Colony. The two were in Bhopal attending a naval training camp and were en route to the Boat Club for a morning kayaking session.
Police reports indicate that their teammates found them severely injured and transported them to a nearby hospital. Vishnu died shortly after being admitted, and Ananth succumbed to his injuries later that morning.
The Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) team found blood stains, helmets, and a broken pole at the scene, indicating a high-impact collision with a heavy vehicle. Their motorcycle was completely destroyed.
Vishnu Raghunathan, hailing from Kerala, was one of India's most promising kayakers, having secured a gold medal in the 1000m K-2 event at the 2024 Asia Cup in Hong Kong.
The police have filed a case and are scrutinizing CCTV footage from cameras in nearby defence colonies to identify the vehicle and driver involved. Both personnel were reportedly wearing helmets, but the impact of the crash was fatal.
The deaths of the Navy personnel add to a series of hit-and-run incidents in Madhya Pradesh over the weekend. In Indore, two youths lost their lives and another was critically injured when a speeding SUV collided with their motorcycle. In another incident in Bhopal, a drunk driver caused multiple injuries after hitting several vehicles late on Saturday night.
Authorities have increased road surveillance and are urging drivers to remain cautious, as reckless driving continues to pose a significant threat to public safety across the state.
