Twelve die, two hurt as two trucks collide near Padra

Vadodara: Twelve people were killed and several injured after the truck they were travelling in collided with a dumper truck in Padra taluka of Vadodara on Saturday evening.
The victims, who were mostly residents of Ranu and Bhoj villages of Padra taluka, were returning after attending a pre-wedding function at Gothada village of Savli taluka. The deceased were Mohsin Pathan (35), Ruksana Pathan (35), Zaayeda Malek (48), Subhaana Sindha (32), Maahenoor Chauhan (8), Nishrin Chauhan (32), Salim Sheikh (55), Afsana Chauhan (17), Shameem Chauhan (35), Mahek Chauhan (44), Shehnaaz Solanki (38) and Sufia Sindha (16). Mohsin and his wife Ruksana lived in Fatehgunj, while others were residents of Ranu, Bhoj and Vadu villages. The bodies were taken to health centres at Vadu and Padra for post-mortem. As bodies started coming in, the health centres were filled with loud cries of the relatives of the diseased.
Eyewitnesses said the collision occurred between Ranu and Mahuvad villages. The body of the truck was also badly mangled because of the impact. Police said six people died on the spot and the remaining six breathed their last while being taken to hospital. Locals said the driver of the dumper truck, laden with sand, was going in speed on the narrow road towards Mahuavad village. According to sources, there were around 25 people in the truck.
A police official said initially the number of injured persons were high, but they then succumbed. “As per information with us, there are only two injured persons and they are undergoing treatment at SSG Hospital,” said sub-inspector T B Pandya of Vadu police station. The injured persons are Javed Solanki (12) of Vadu village and Rizwan Malek (20) of Ranu village.
Police said the driver of the dumping truck fled leaving the vehicle behind after the accident. Police are trying to find about details of the owner of the vehicle to track the driver.
Locals said the menace of dumping trucks is increasing day-by-day. “Truck drivers ply their vehicles at high speed without taking into consideration the size of roads and vehicles coming from the other end. We have approached local police and administration several times to take act against such vehicles but our requests only fall on deaf ears,” a resident of Ranu village said.