Bharuch: Seven pilgrims, including three minors, tragically lost their lives this morning when the car they were traveling in collided with a parked truck on the Jambusar-Amod state highway, near Mangadh village in Bharuch district. The Echo Van, carrying passengers from various villages in Jambusar taluka, was on its way to a religious fair at the Shuklatirth temple.

According to a police officer, the driver failed to spot the truck due to the early morning darkness. The truck had been parked while the driver and cleaner were replacing a punctured tire. Local residents alerted the Jambusar police and assisted with the rescue of the injured, arranging ambulance services. By the time authorities arrived, the truck driver and cleaner had fled the scene.

The deceased were identified as Jaydev Gohil, 23, his wife Saraswati (Sapna) Gohil, 21, and their relative Vivek Ganpat Gohil, 16, all from Panch Kakda and Tankari villages in Jambusar; Kirtiben Ranchodbhai, 6, from Aladar village, Vagra taluka; Hansha Arvind Jadav, 35, and her daughter Sandhyaben Jadav, 11, from Vedach village; and Mitalben Jadav, 40, from Tankari village.

Three others were injured and initially treated in Jambusar before being transferred to a private hospital in Vadodara. The injured included Ganpat Gohil, 46, and his daughter Nidhi Gohil, 12, from Tankari village, and Arvind Raijibhai Jadav, 40, from Vedach village.

The Jambusar police have registered a case against the truck driver and his assistant under sections 285 (negligent conduct), 125(a) (endangering the life or safety of others), and 125(b) (wrongful confinement) of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita Act, along with various sections of the Motor Vehicle Act.

Sub-inspector K. N. Solanki, the investigating officer, stated, “The truck was parked without any warning signs, and the parking lights were off. The car driver may not have seen the truck. The truck driver and his assistant have yet to be arrested.” DeshGujarat