Vadodara: 66-year-old woman killed in road accident near L&T circle

A 66-year-old elderly woman was on Tuesday evening killed in a road accident near L&T circle in Vadodara city, involving a private bus and the two wheeler which the victim was riding as a pillion. The incident led to a traffic jam as the victim’s body remained stuck under the wheels of the bus for close to an hour.

The delay in pulling out the body caused a large crowd to gather at the spot, even as inconsolable family members of the deceased woman, including her injured senior citizen husband, implored for help. The incident occurred around 5pm, when the elderly couple were taking the roundabout at L&T circle, riding a two-wheeler through fast moving peak hour traffic. The victim pillion rider – Shakuntalaben – fell off from the two-wheeler and was crushed under the wheels of the oncoming private staff bus. The accident brought the traffic to a standstill even as locals gathered to help the injured couple. While the police PCR van arrived at the spot, directed by the 112 Emergency Response Support center, the body of the victim remained stuck under the wheels for close to an hour even as a 108 ambulance arrived at the spot. While eye witnesses alleged that the delay in the arrival of officials from Harni police station – the jurisdiction concerned – delayed the process, Vadodara city police denied the allegations and said the police were not equipped to retrieve the body from under the wheels.

Police Inspector SV Vasava of Harni Police station told The Indian Express, “The accident had caused a traffic jam, which delayed the process and the arrival of the necessary personnel to attend to the case… The body was stuck under the wheels as the victim had died on the spot. The junction is such an important one that several PCR vans are always available in the vicinity and there was no delay in the police response.” Vadodara Commissioner of Police, Narasimha Komar said the calls to the police are routed through 112 Emergency Response center but the delay occurred due to the wait for a hearse van.