9 killed, 29 hurt as SUV rams into bus in Gujarat’s Navsari

TIL Desk/National/Ahmedabad/ Nine persons were killed and 29 others injured after a sports utility vehicle collided with a luxury bus after jumping the road divider on a national highway in Navsari district of Gujarat early on Saturday, police said. The accident occurred near Vesma village around 3.20 am when the bus was going towards Valsad, while the SUV was coming from the opposite direction, Navsari Superintendent of Police (SP) Rushikesh Upadhyay said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the accident and announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh to the next of kin of each deceased and Rs 50,000 to the injured persons. “The driver of the SUV lost control over the vehicle, due to which it jumped the divider and crossed over to the other side before colliding with the luxury bus on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad national highway. The impact of the collision left the SUV completely mangled,” Upadhyay said.

Of the nine persons travelling in the SUV, eight died on the spot, while another occupant suffered grievous injuries. One of the bus passengers was also killed in the accident, he said. The SUV was going to Ankleshwar in Bharuch district, he added. The accident left 29 passengers injured and they are being treated in hospitals in Navsari and neighbouring Valsad city, police said.