Accident prone Gujarat: 11 dead in Ahmedabad, Rajkot, Gandhidham, Junagadh in 24 hours

On Wednesday around 10 am, a recklessly driven electric city bus, operated by a private agency, crushed eight two-wheelers near Indira Circle, Rajkot. In this gruesome accident, four people, including two women, a government employee, and a university peon died.

After the accident, an enraged mob heavily vandalised the city bus, and its driver, Shishupalsinh Rana. 

Police used mild force to control the crowd. The Gandhigram police registered a case against the driver under charges including culpable homicide and have initiated an investigation.

The deceased identified are–

Raju Gida (35)

Sangeeta Chaudhari (40)

Balo alias Chinmay Bhatt (25)

Kiran Kakkad (56)

Gida was employed as an audit clerk at the Rajkot Municipal Corporation. He was on his way to pick up his 7-year-old son, Manveer, who studies at Rosary School near Raiya Telephone Exchange, riding a motorcycle with his nephew riding pillion, Viraj, who had come from Botad. The accident occurred during this journey, in which Viraj also sustained injuries, as per a complaint filed by the deceased’s cousin Raviraj at Gandhigram Police registered a case against the bus driver.

Another victim, Bhatt was employed on a contract basis as a peon at a university’s construction department. He met with this accident while going to work in the morning. Tragically, his father had passed away just a month ago due to a heart attack, and his mother had died six years ago. Bhatt was unmarried. His elder sister, Urvi, works as a teacher at Kotak Kanya Vidya Mandir, who performed the last rites of her only brother.

Chaudhari, originally from Nepal, was also among the deceased. She was a widow and living alone, employed at a beauty salon near Indira Circle. The accident happened while she was on her way to work. Her relative Suraj, who was accompanying her, also sustained injuries.

Another deceased, Kakkad was riding a two-wheeler with her daughter-in-law Neha, heading toward the swimming pool on University Road when the accident occurred. Her husband is a businessman. It has been reported that the couple has a son and a daughter.

Ahmedabad accidents

Ahmedabad saw two accidents in 24 hours. In Chandkheda, a speeding car rammed into a 25-year-old woman riding a two-wheeler near Tapovan Circle on Tuesday.

Heena Panchal used to work as an accountant in the Motera area. On Tuesday, while she was going towards Zundal Circle, a speeding car hit her motorcycle. 

Panchal succumbed to her injuries while undergoing treatment at a private hospital. Adalaj Police have arrested the driver.

On the same day, a 43-year-old Sagufa R Khunkhar was hit by an unidentified two-wheeler rider on the Sola overbridge and fled the scene.

The deceased was riding her Activa scooter at approximately 6.30 pm when the incident occurred. Eyewitnesses reported that an unidentified rider struck her vehicle and immediately absconded without offering assistance.

Passers-by rushed the severely injured woman to a nearby hospital, where she succumbed to her injuries during treatment.

Junagadh hit-and-run

Three friends living in Sargavada in Junagadh taluka were returning from Dhoraji on Wednesday morning on a motorcycle when a speeding Bolero driver hit their vehicle near Jalsar, killing all three friends.

All three sustained serious injuries to their head, hands, and legs. They were declared dead at the Civil Hospital in Junagadh.

In another incident, two women who were crossing the Tagore Road on a scooter in Adipur were struck by a GSRTC bus, killing a pillion.

The bus jumped over the divider, went to the wrong side, and hit another motorcycle. The motorcycle rider also sustained injuries.

Also read:

Rajkot city bus driver hits several vehicles, four killed, many injured

Two injured in late-night collision in Vastrapur