At least 30 of marriage party killed as truck falls off bridge in Gujarat
DH News Service, Ahmedabad, Mar 6 2018, 17:08 IST
The truck was carrying around 60 people from Anida village, who were going to attend a wedding ceremony in Botad district, Bhavnagar's in-charge Superintendent of Police I M Sayed said.
As many as 31 people of a wedding party, including the parents of the bridegroom and two children, lost their lives in a tragic road accident near Bhavnagar when a truck in which they were travelling fell off a bridge near Ranghola village.
The bridge, that falls on the newly completed Rajkot-Bhavnagar Highway, has been under construction for over five years.
The groom, Jay, survived the accident as he was travelling in a separate vehicle.
He was later married in a simple ceremony, even as his relatives had kept him in the dark about the accident.
Gujarat Home Minister Pradeepsinh Jaedja informed the ongoing Legislative Assembly that the truck was ferrying around 60 people, mostly women and children en route to a wedding from Aniyali village to Tatam village.
While on the Rajkot-Bhavnagar highway, the truck overturned and fell off the 20 feet high bridge on a water channel near Ranghola village, killing 26 immediately and injuring several others.
Five others lost their lives while undergoing treatment. The death toll is high as the surface it fell on was that of cement and concrete.
Local villagers rushed to the accident spot and carried out rescue operations before rescue officials and fire brigade personnel from nearby Botad and Sihor towns rushed in with cranes.
The injured were rushed to nearby hospitals for treatment. Primary reports suggest that the truck driver lost control leading to the accident.
"We have already ordered the district authorities and local administration to furnish the details about the incident and the ongoing rescue operations. An investigation has also been ordered to find out the exact reason behind the tragic accident," said Chief Minister Vijay Rupani.
Rupani also announced an ex gratia payment of Rs 4 lakh each to the next of kin of those killed in the accident.
The chief minister also announced that the cost of treatment of all those injured would be borne by the state government.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, too, expressed his concern for the injured and condolences for those who lost their lives in the accident.
"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. May those who have been injured recover at the earliest," read his official Twitter handle.
The bridge, that falls on the newly completed Rajkot-Bhavnagar Highway, has been under construction for over five years.
The groom, Jay, survived the accident as he was travelling in a separate vehicle.
He was later married in a simple ceremony, even as his relatives had kept him in the dark about the accident.
Gujarat Home Minister Pradeepsinh Jaedja informed the ongoing Legislative Assembly that the truck was ferrying around 60 people, mostly women and children en route to a wedding from Aniyali village to Tatam village.
While on the Rajkot-Bhavnagar highway, the truck overturned and fell off the 20 feet high bridge on a water channel near Ranghola village, killing 26 immediately and injuring several others.
Five others lost their lives while undergoing treatment. The death toll is high as the surface it fell on was that of cement and concrete.
Local villagers rushed to the accident spot and carried out rescue operations before rescue officials and fire brigade personnel from nearby Botad and Sihor towns rushed in with cranes.
The injured were rushed to nearby hospitals for treatment. Primary reports suggest that the truck driver lost control leading to the accident.
"We have already ordered the district authorities and local administration to furnish the details about the incident and the ongoing rescue operations. An investigation has also been ordered to find out the exact reason behind the tragic accident," said Chief Minister Vijay Rupani.
Rupani also announced an ex gratia payment of Rs 4 lakh each to the next of kin of those killed in the accident.
The chief minister also announced that the cost of treatment of all those injured would be borne by the state government.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, too, expressed his concern for the injured and condolences for those who lost their lives in the accident.
"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. May those who have been injured recover at the earliest," read his official Twitter handle.
