Gujarat : 3 Dead, 20 Injured in Bus-Truck Collision near Botad

Botad |  Gujarat – A devastating accident on the Paliyad-Sakadri village road in Botad district during the early hours of Monday left three people dead on the spot and more than 20 others injured when a private luxury bus collided with a stationary truck. The tragedy has sent shockwaves across Umrala village in Ranpur taluka, where all three deceased hailed from.

The deceased have been identified as Vallabhbhai Washrambhai Gohil, Alpeshbhai Bachubhai Vasani, and Mukeshbhai Budhabhai Gohil, a well-known diamond factory owner.

According to police, the accident occurred when a truck had halted on the Sakadri road due to a puncture. The returning luxury bus, carrying over 50 passengers, failed to halt in time and rammed into the truck. Most passengers were women and staff members of Mukeshbhai Gohil’s diamond unit, who had gone on a two-day spiritual trip to Khodaldham Kagwad-Virpur.

“My brother died instantly”

Speaking to reporters, Jesabhai Dhirubhai Gohil, brother of the deceased factory owner, said, “I was informed about the incident at around 1:30 am. Three people, including my brother Mukeshbhai, died on the spot. Others suffered severe head and limb injuries. There were nearly 50 to 60 people in the bus, mostly women from my brother’s factory. He had taken them for a trip, and tragedy struck while they were returning.”

Rescue and Medical Response

Eyewitnesses said locals and police rushed to the scene immediately after the collision, pulling out victims trapped inside the mangled bus. More than 20 injured passengers were shifted to hospitals in Botad and Bhavnagar, while five to six critically injured were referred for advanced treatment. The bodies of the deceased were sent to Paliyad and Botad hospitals for postmortem.

A medical officer at the Botad hospital confirmed,“We received around 25 to 30 injured people. Due to the seriousness of some cases, we had to refer several patients to higher centers. Treatment of the rest is ongoing here.”

Mourning in Umrala Village

The tragedy has cast a pall of gloom over Umrala village, where the three deceased men were respected members of the community. Mukeshbhai Gohil, in particular, was known not only for his diamond factory but also for supporting local employment, especially for women.

Local police have initiated a probe into the circumstances of the accident. Preliminary findings suggest negligence in parking the truck without proper warning signals may have contributed to the crash.