A 30-year-old man traveling to surprise his pregnant wife by bringing her home from Bilimora died in a tragic accident after his car caught fire on the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway near Patod village in Padra taluka, Vadodara, on Saturday morning.
Incident Details
Commuters on the expressway noticed the burning car around 9:45 am and alerted the Vadodara district police and fire brigade. A team from the Vasna fire station rushed to the spot and doused the flames. Firemen later retrieved the charred body of the driver from the vehicle. The blaze was so intense that only the skeletal metal frame of the car remained after the fire was brought under control.
Victim Identified
The identity of the deceased was later ascertained as Samir Panchal (30), a resident of Halol in Panchmahal district, originally from Lavana village in Lunawada taluka of Mahisagar district.
Family Statement
Samir's elder brother, Ankit Panchal, who lives in Ahmedabad, told police that he had spoken to Samir on Friday night. According to him, Samir was on his way to Bilimora in Navsari district to bring back his wife, Anjali, who is pregnant. The family said he wanted to surprise her by personally coming to take her home to Halol.
Police Investigation
According to Ankit's complaint, the car first rammed into the crash barrier on the side of the road before catching fire. A police official said tyre marks and impact signs were visible on the divider railing, suggesting that the vehicle hit the crash barrier before going up in flames. However, forensic experts are also investigating the incident to determine the exact sequence of events.
