Vadodara witnessed a tragic morning on Thursday as two separate road accidents, occurring within just one hour, claimed the lives of two elderly men and left three others injured. The incidents, which took place in the Harni and Manjalpur areas, have once again raised serious concerns about road safety and reckless driving in the city.
First Crash at Airport Circle Claims Life of 69-Year-Old
The first fatal collision happened at the Airport Circle in Harni. A 69-year-old pedestrian, identified as Hasmukh Soma Vankar, was struck by a speeding ice cream truck while he was crossing the road. The force of the impact was severe, and Vankar succumbed to his injuries.
The ice cream truck did not stop after hitting Vankar. It subsequently crashed into two motorcycles and a four-wheeler. This secondary collision resulted in injuries to two motorcycle riders, named Dilip and Prashant. All three injured individuals were rushed to a private hospital for treatment.
GB Bhabhaniya, the Assistant Commissioner of Police for H Division, confirmed the sequence of events. The body of Hasmukh Vankar was sent to SSG Hospital for a post-mortem examination. The Harni police station has registered a case under the new Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for causing death due to negligence and rash driving. An investigation into the incident is currently underway.
VMC Dumper Driver Flees After Killing Cyclist
In a second, equally distressing incident near the Vadsar bridge, a 75-year-old man on a bicycle lost his life. The victim, Babu Ratilal Surti, was on his way to work when he was hit by a dumper truck belonging to the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC).
The dumper was exiting a petrol station when it struck Surti, who died on the spot. Eyewitnesses reported that the driver of the dumper abandoned the vehicle at the scene and fled as a crowd began to gather.
Officials from the Manjalpur police station arrived to take charge of the investigation. Police Inspector L D Gamara stated, "We have nabbed the dumper driver based on the details of the vehicle. The process to arrest him formally has been initiated." An FIR has been lodged against the driver for culpable homicide not amounting to murder and for rash driving. Surti's body was also sent for a post-mortem.
Families Grieve, Call for Accountability
The tragic loss has left the families of the victims devastated. Amit, the son of Babu Surti, expressed his anguish and anger over the incident. He highlighted a common complaint among residents, stating, "VMC dumpers are often seen driving recklessly in various areas of the city. There must be strict action against such negligence on the part of the drivers."
He added a heartfelt plea, "Today, I have lost my father, and I hope no one else has to endure this." The back-to-back accidents on Thursday morning have sparked conversations about the enforcement of traffic rules, especially concerning commercial and municipal vehicles, and the urgent need for safer road infrastructure to protect vulnerable users like pedestrians and cyclists.
