Three drown as car plunges into canal near Sanand

Ahmedabad: Three men of a family from Gandhinagar drowned after their SUV plunged into a canal in Sanand late on Sunday night. Two others who were with them survived the accident.
"A tragic road accident near Sanand claimed the lives of three members of a family from Zundal village in Gandhinagar. The incident occurred late on Sunday night when their car veered off the road and plunged into a canal. They were returning from a temple visit," said Sanand PI J R Jhala on Monday.
Giving more details about the incident, Sanand police officials said that at around 10.30pm, Raju Desai, 43; Jeram Rabari, 40; Kanu Desai, 43; Vishal Desai, 30, and Darshan Desai 31 were returning home after visiting the Meldi Mata Temple.
At approximately 11.30pm, while driving towards the highway near Virochnagar village, they encountered the canal's drainage channel. Police said visibility was poor due to the dark and Raju, who was driving, swerved sharply, causing the vehicle to land straight into the canal. Raju Desai, and front-seat passenger, Jeram Rabari managed to move to safety, but the other three seated at the back were trapped underwater.
Locals rushed to the scene to pull them out. They were rushed to a Sanand hospital via emergency services, where doctors declared them dead, police said. Sanand town police have registered a case of accidental death and are yet to record statements of family members.
March saw several fatal accidents involving vehicles falling into canals in and around Ahmedabad.
On March 5, a vehicle fell into the Fatehwadi canal in Sarkhej, killing three young men. Another accident on March 11 near Dantali, Kalol, resulted in the death of a 52-year-old man. With the latest incident in Sanand, the total death toll from such accidents in March has risen to seven.