Four killed as van on wrong side collides with truck on Delhi-Mumbai Expressway

Vadodara: Four persons were killed and five others injured when a van travelling on the wrong side of the road collided with truck on the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway on the outskirts of Vadodara city late on Saturday night.

“The accident occurred around 11.30 pm near Samiyala village. Four persons lost their lives while five suffered injuries in the accident,” said police inspector R V Gohil of taluka police station.

The victims were travelling in a Maruti Eeco van from Ampad village in Vadodara to a temple in Mehsana to fulfil a religious vow.

Narendrasinh Rathod, who was driving the vehicle, mistakenly drove onto the Mumbai-bound road instead of heading towards Ahmedabad. After travelling nearly 4 km, the driver realised his mistake. “He allegedly made a U-turn on the same lane and began driving on the wrong side of the expressway,” Gohil said.

“After covering some distance, the van collided with a truck near the toll plaza in the Laxmipura village limits,” the police added. The deceased persons have been identified as Gauri Solanki, Dalpat Mewada, Narendrasinh Rathod and Prahlad Barad.

Five others, four of whom were identified as Kanu Mewada, Ramesh Solanki, Laxmi Solanki and Dharmishtha Barad, sustained injuries and were rushed for medical treatment. The police have registered a case under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Motor Vehicles Act.