Ahmedabad accident: Late night outing for tea turns fatal for three friends

Akshar was among the nine who were killed by the luxury car with 19-year-old Tathya Patel at the wheel. While Akshar died on the spot, his friends Krunal Dodiya (24) and Ronak Vihalpara (23) — both natives of Botad, who were in Ahmedabad pursuing a job and studies, respectively – were also killed.

Outside the Sola Civil Hospital’s postmortem room on Thursday, Narendra Patel, Akshar’s paternal uncle who stays in Ahmedabad, said that the parents have not been informed of his death. “We have asked a family member to keep them away from the TV and gadgets. They are aware of the accident but believe that he is under treatment. We will take Akshar’s body to Botad for his last rites and that is when his parents will know of his demise,” Narendra added.

Akshar’s father Anilbhai has no regular employment and relies on his farm for livelihood, said Narendra. “Akshar did BBA from Ahmedabad and has been friends with Krunal and Ronak since. They used to stay at the same hostel earlier.”

Pankaj Vanaliya, a business partner of Ronak’s father Rajeshbhai Vihalpara, who runs a cotton factory in Botad, said that while Ronak’s father was at the hospital, his mother has been kept in the dark. Rajeshbhai, stunned into silence, refused to meet anyone.

Ronak was pursuing computer engineering at Silver Oak College in Ahmedabad. Vanaliya said, “We received a call around 1.40-2 am from a friend and left for Ahmedabad, reaching here around 6 am. We were told that Ronak died on the spot.”

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Relatives of the victims of Iskcon flyover accident at Sola Civil Hospital in Ahmedabad. (Express photo by Nirmal Harindran)

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Relatives of the victims of Iskcon flyover accident at Sola Civil Hospital in Ahmedabad. (Express photo by Nirmal Harindran)

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Relatives of the victims of Iskcon flyover accident at Sola Civil Hospital in Ahmedabad. (Express photo by Nirmal Harindran)

Krunal, who had joined as a teacher at a private school in Vasna only two months ago, was a BSc graduate. Mahendrabhai Patel, his maternal uncle, said at the hospital: “He had shifted to a new PG only two days ago.”

Sola Civil Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr Dipika Singhal said the hospital started receiving bodies around 2.45-3 am. While eight were declared brought dead, the ninth person died at the hospital.