A devastating road accident in Gujarat’s Surendranagar district has claimed seven lives in the early hours of Monday after a speeding truck rammed into a group of foot pilgrims on the Lakhtar–Viramgam highway.
The victims were part of a padyatra from Rajkot to the Bahucharaji temple, a journey undertaken as an act of faith by members of the Bharwad community. The collision occurred around 1:20 am, when the truck ploughed into the group walking along the roadside. Six pilgrims died on the spot, along with the driver of a stationary dumper truck parked nearby. Several others sustained injuries and were rushed to nearby hospitals. Their condition is reported to be serious in some cases.
The truck driver fled the scene immediately after the crash, triggering a police manhunt. Authorities are scanning CCTV footage and tracking leads to identify and apprehend the accused. Preliminary reports suggest overspeeding as a key factor, though officials have launched a detailed investigation into the circumstances leading to the incident, including visibility conditions and road safety measures for pedestrians on highways.
The tragedy has once again exposed the vulnerability of pilgrims and pedestrians on Gujarat’s highways, where high-speed traffic often intersects with unprotected pedestrians.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a message issued later, described the accident as deeply distressing, expressed condolences to the families of the deceased and wished a speedy recovery to those injured.
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