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7 pilgrims crushed to death on Gujarat’s Lakhtar-Viramgam highway
The Surendranagar police said the pilgrims were still about 100 km away from the Bahucharaji temple in Mehsana when the accident occurred on the Lakhtar-Viramgam highway.
The accident occurred on the Lakhtar-Viramgam highway in Surendranagar district between 1 am and 1.30 am. (Express Photo)
At least seven pilgrims, including 6 members of a family, travelling from Rajkot to the Bahucharaji temple in Mehsana in Gujarat, were killed early Monday after being hit by a truck on the Lakhtar-Viramgam highway. Of the four survivors, three suffered minor injuries while the fourth suffered a leg bone fracture, according to the Surendranagar police.
The accident occurred on State Highway 17 (SH-17) near Chharad village in Lakhtar taluka of Surendranagar district between 1 am and 1.30 am when as many as 500 members of the congregation were walking in a disparate column on one side of the highway.
They had already walked about 150 km from Rajkot to Chharad and were still about 100 km away from the Bahucharaji temple in Mehsana when the accident occurred.
Vedika Bihani, Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP), Surendranagar, told the Indian Express, “The accident took place about 20 km from Viramgam town of Ahmedabad, in Chharad village, which is on the border of both districts.”
Bihani said the accident took place due to multiple factors.
“A truck, with a punctured tyre, was parked on the side of the highway, blocking about one-fourth of the road. The pilgrims were walking in a column stretched over roughly 100 metres. To pass the stationary vehicle, they stepped onto the highway instead of moving along its left side,” Bihani said.
At the same time, another truck carrying cotton from Rajkot to Ahmedabad approached the stretch. The driver is believed to have dozed off, crushing the 11 people between the two trucks,” she said.
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She added that the driver of the stationary truck was among the victims, who were in the age group of 50-55 years.
“Six people died on the spot and their bodies were taken to the government hospital in Surendranagar. One person had severe injuries and was taken to Rajkot Civil Hospital, but died during treatment.”
The truck driver didn’t stop immediately after the accident, but was chased by people and flagged down. They handed the driver over to the police, who detained him.
A First Information Report (FIR) was being filed at the time of writing this report.
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