Truck mows down four kids in Surat

Four children of a family were crushed to death, while their mother and younger brother sustained serious injuries when a dumper truck ran over them at Ugat in Surat on Wednesday.

The injured have been admitted to the government hospital, where their condition is said to be critical.

Valu Vasaiya, 40, a tractor driver by profession, lived at an open plot near Saraswati Shishu Vihar at Ugat in Rander with his five children and wife. At 4:30 am on Wednesday, the family was sleeping on the footpath when a dumper truck loaded with sand came to the open plot. The driver reversed the truck to park it properly. While doing so, the truck ran over Vasaiya’s family, crushing four children under its wheels. Vasaiya’s wife Leela and his one-year-old son Jeetendra sustained serious injuries, while he escaped unhurt. The driver immediately fled from the spot.

Locals rushed to the spot and pulled out the dead bodies.    

Those killed have been identified as Tinu Vasaiya, 11, Chhaya Vasaiya, 8, Satish Vasaiya, 7 and Kiran Vasaiya, 5. Leela and Jitendra were rushed to New Civil Hospital for treatment where their condition is said to be serious. Rander police rushed to spot after learning about the incident. Preliminary investigations reveal that a racket to steal sand in trucks was being carried out at the open plot. The case is being investigated.