Thirty one persons belonging to a marriage party were killed when a truck fell into a pit on Bhavnagar Rajkot highway in Gujarat on Tuesday. The accident occurred when the truck driver lost control while trying to overtake another vehicle on a narrow bridge. .
A total of 60 persons belonging to Anida village were travelling in the truck for the wedding at the bride’s home in Totam village in Botad district. Among those killed include the groom’s parents and relatives.
PM expresses grief
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the incident, while Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani ordered an inquiry and announced an ex gratia of Rs four lakh to the kin of each deceased.
"My condolences to all those who lost their loved ones due to an accident near Ranghola in Gujarat. The accident was extremely unfortunate and anguishing. May those who have been injured recover at the earliest," the PMO said in a tweet.
“It is a tragic incident. The government is with the victims,” said junior Home Minister Pradipsinh Jadeja in the State Assembly. He added that people were on their way to attend a wedding ceremony in Botad district when the vehicle fell from the bridge on the Bhavnagar-Rajkot highway while overtaking a vehicle.
Minister’s statement
"The truck fell on a concrete base under the bridge in which 26 persons died on the spot while five others died during treatment,” Mr Jadeja said while making a statement on the incident in the Assembly.
Injured persons were receiving treatment in Bhavnagar hospital.
