Fatal mishap at Viramgam-Dhandhuka Highway

Six women and a 25-year-old man were killed in a tragic road accident on the Viramgam-Dhandhuka Highway on Friday afternoon. The incident occurred when a truck and a matador collided with each other.

The women were travelling in the matador and were on their way back to Ahmedabad after attending the funeral of their relative at Lakhtar in Surendranagar.

According to the Viramgam police, around a dozen people sustained injuries in the accident including the driver of the truck. Police said that the accident occurred when the truck driver reportedly tried to overtake another vehicle.

The deceased have been identified as Ramila Patel, Santa Patel, Banu Patel, Kundan Patel, Savita Patel, Vijya Patel and driver Prahlad Patel. Police said that five of them were Ahmedabad residents, while one Vijya was a native of Viramgam.

Rajiv Ranjan Bhagat, District Superintendent of Police, Ahmedabad rural, who visited the spot, said that the truck was trying to overtake another vehicle on the highway. At the same time, a matador was coming from the opposite direction. Bhagat said that, prima facie, it seems that the truck driver misjudged the speed of the matador.

"The matador was approaching from the opposite direction. Before the truck driver could register the approaching vehicle, it was probably too late. In addition, as the highway is under construction, there is no flank on either side of the road. This made the situation worse," Bhagat said.