Five dead in Noida car crash: Village in mourning as celebrations end in sorrow

The atmosphere outside the Bhatis’ house at Badhpura village in Greater Noida was one of despair. For them, the wedding celebrations turned into tragedy in a matter of minutes when five members of their family, including three children, were killed during a collision.

Barely five kilometres from their home, the WagonR, in which 10 members of the Bhati family were travelling, collided with the rear side of a truck, leading to the death of five members on the spot while the other five were admitted to Sarvodaya Hospital at Razapur in Ghaziabad.

Grief-stricken family members and relatives assembled at the courtyard of the house, in which the four Bhati brothers lived along with their families. Manveer Bhati, 38, the second oldest brother of the four, died in the crash.

Two of Manveer’s three children — 12-year-old Arjun and six-year-old Khushi — also died in the incident, while 32-year-old Sanju, Manveer’s wife, is undergoing treatment at the hospital.

“It’s a tragedy unlike any other,” sobbed 19-year-old Robin, a son of Karamveer, Manveer’s older brother.

The family had been jolted by the news around 12.30am on Thursday.

Robin said he did not even have time to comprehend the loss of so many family members. Being one of the older members of the family, Robin was running around taking care of things at home, as half the family members were indisposed having gone to the hospital to take care of the injured members.

Robin said that his uncle, Satveer, has been severely affected by the incident as his 26-year-old wife Neetu and eight-year-old daughter Nisha died in the incident. Satveer was in a state of shock and refused to accept that they had died. He kept saying, “I did not want them to go.”

Who would have known that it would be the last time he would be seeing them, said Robin.

According to the neighbours, the Bhati family was among the largest and oldest in the village. The brothers had lost their father only last year, said a neighbour.

The family had been dependent on farming and animal rearing for income and on occasion, would loan out the family car as a taxi.

The village stood with the Bhati family in solidarity. “Half the villagers are in the hospital to support them,” said one of the many neighbours who was present outside the Bhatis’ residence. They said that their village had been struck by tragedy and they are ready to help the Bhatis in their hour of need.

Manveer’s wife 32-year-old Sanju is undergoing treatment at Sarvodaya Hospital in Ghaziabad. Three of Satveer’s children — four-year-old Prashant, five-year-old Kashish and two-year-old Dipanshu — and 14-year-old Anjali, Robin’s sister, are also undergoing treatment at the hospital.