Jhabua Collector Neha Me Survives Dumper Crash; Owner’s Illegal Land Use Under Investigation

Jhabua, Madhya Pradesh: District Collector Neha Me, along with her gunman and driver, narrowly escaped a serious accident when their car was hit by an empty dumper returning from dropping sand at Kalyanpura. The incident occurred suddenly but, fortunately, all occupants of the Collector’s vehicle were unharmed.

Following the collision, an FIR under multiple sections was filed at Jhabua Kotwali. Police quickly seized the dumper and took the driver into custody for interrogation. Authorities also revealed that the dumper’s owner, Shantilal Baser—a resident of Ranapur—had allegedly constructed an unauthorized godown on tribal land along the Ranapur-Jhabua Road in Padlawa. This godown, reportedly used for parking buses and dumpers, was found to be illegally built on land acquired in the name of a tribal person.

In a prompt operation, revenue officials accompanied by the tehsildar sealed the entire premises. Visual evidence shows several buses and dumpers parked inside the sealed area. The property was officially seized due to the alleged misuse and illegal occupation of tribal land, and a case has been registered under relevant sections of the revenue code. The administration has stated that further legal action will follow upon investigation.

However, investigators were unable to obtain CCTV footage from the accident site, as there were no government cameras installed in the vicinity. The absence of video evidence has made it difficult for the police and media to reconstruct the precise circumstances of the crash. Still, visuals from the aftermath indicate that the dumper was being driven on the wrong side and at excessive speed, strongly suggesting reckless driving by the dumper operator.

The police are now trying to determine whether the incident was merely an accident or if there was a possible conspiracy behind it. This line of inquiry has gained importance in light of past attacks on government officials in Madhya Pradesh by elements linked to illegal sand mining—raising fears of deliberate targeting.

As the investigation continues, the administration remains alert. Meanwhile, Collector Neha Me, a celebrated IAS officer, escaped a serious mishap along with her security staff, sparking concerns over the safety of officials working against illegal sand mining mafias. Updates on further developments in this case will be provided as new information emerges.