30 KILLED IN GUJARAT ROAD ACCIDENT
At least 30 people, including four children and eight women, were killed and as many were injured when a truck ferrying a marriage party fell off a bridge on the Bhavnagar-Rajkot highway in Gujarat’s Bhavnagar district early on Tuesday, the police said. Eight people were reported to be critical, minister of state for home Pradipsinh Jadeja told the assembly. Police said the groom was not in the truck, but his parents died in the accident.
AHMEDABAD: At least 30 people were killed and as many injured when a truck ferrying a marriage party fell off the bridge near a village in Gujarat’s Bhavnagar district early morning on Tuesday, police and state government officials said. Among the injured, eight were reported to be in a critical condition, minister of state for home Pradipsinh Jadeja informed the state assembly in Gandhinagar, adding the deceased included four children and eight women. He said that the truck fell off a bridge on the Bhavnagar-Rajkot highway while trying to overtake another vehicle.
Police said the groom, Vijay Koli, was not in the truck.
Bhavnagar’s in-charge superintendent of police IM Sayed said the hired truck was carrying around 60 people from Anida village in Palitana Taluka to a wedding ceremony in Totam village of Botad district.
“The incident took place around 7.30am. Preliminary report suggests the truck driver had lost control. The state government will offer every possible help to the family,” deputy chief minister Nitin Patel said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid condolences. “My condolences to all those who lost their loved ones due to an accident near Ranghola in Gujarat. The accident was extremely unfortunate and anguishing .... ’’ Chief minister Vijay Rupani announced aid an ex gratia of ~4 lakh to the family of each deceased and ordered an inquiry.