Morbi: Eight people including four women, most of them onfoot pilgrims to the famous shrine of Mata No Madh in Kutch district died a tragic death in a road mishap on Morbi-Kandla national highway under Maliya Miyana police station of Morbi district in Gujarat this morning.

Police said that a speeding tanker hit an auto-rickshaw and a bolero vehicle standing close to Surajbari bridge from behind on the road crowded with onfoot pilgrims early morning. The auto-rickshaw belonged to some onfoot pilgrims from Khambhat area of Anand district in Central Gujarat.

Five of the onfoot pilgirms identified as Hiruben Jhalabhai Chauhan (60 resident of Golana, taluka Khambhat, district Anand), Kalpesh Koli (15, resident Gontu road, Morbi ), Kankuben Bhagwanbhai Rathor (45, resident of Tamsa, Khambhat, District Anand), Vijaykumar Rathod (15, resident of Tamsa, Khambhat, District Anand) and Mamtaben daughter of Punjabhai Chauhan (16, resident of Golana, Khambhat, District Anand) died on the spot.

Among over 10 injured including at least 3 women admitted in various hospitals in Morbi, Maliya Miyana Bhachau and Rajkot three others succumbed during treatment. They have been identified as Mukesh Chhipra (40, resident Morbi) Rangbal Gujjar (25, Morbi) and Urmilaben Parmar (30 resident Tarapur Kutch).

Some of the deceased are said to associated with various services provided to the pilgrims.

The traffic on the National Highway 27 near Surajbadi bridge was disrupted for over three hours owing to the mishap, police said adding that efforts were on to nab the driver of the tanker who fled leaving his vehicle on the spot after the mishap.

DeshGujarat