News Analysis India

Tag: Surat Accident

  • Gujarat HC registers suo motu PIL on Surat accident that killed 15

    By PTI
    AHMEDABAD: The Gujarat High Court has registered a suo motu public interest litigation in connection with an accident which killed 15 migrant workers in Surat district on January 19.

    In the early hours of January 19, a truck ran over 15 people, including a one-year-old girl and eight women, sleeping on a pavement along Kim-Mandvi road.

    A High Court bench comprising Chief Justice Vikram Nath and Justice A J Shastri, on January 27, registered a PIL with cause title “to regulate road discipline and to give shelter to weaker section”, and issued notices to five government entities.

    The notices were issued to the chief secretary, additional chief secretaries of Home and Ports and Transport departments, principal secretary of Labour and Employment department and transport commissioner.

    The bench noted that, after the mishap, senior advocate Anshin Desai had written a letter to HC to register a suo motu PIL “so as to monitor certain important issues touching the life and liberty of the weaker sections and also to deal with their valuable right to housing, right to shelter and right to life being the fundamental rights guaranteed under the Constitution”.

    Some of the suggestions mentioned in the letter, and incorporated in the order, are strict compliance of vehicle fitness certificates, fixing responsibilities of high ranking transport officials, and contractors be made responsible to provide housing and other amenities to migrant labourers.

    Desai further said state and municipal corporations have constitutional as well as statutory duty to provide residential accommodation to the poor and weaker sections.

    The HC kept further hearing on the PIL for February 8.

  • 15 labourers sleeping on footpath, killed after truck runs over them in Gujarat’s Surat

    By PTI
    SURAT: Fifteen migrant labourers from Rajasthan sleeping by the roadside in Gujarat’s Surat district died on Tuesday after a truck ran over them, police said.

    The tragedy took place near Kosamba village, around 60 km from Surat, police said.

    The truck driver, who apparently lost control over the vehicle after hitting a sugarcane laden tractor, has been detained.

    The truck ran over the migrant construction workers on the Kim-Mandvi road shortly after midnight, Surat SP Usha Rada said.

    The truck driver lost control over his vehicle after dashing against the tractor and veered off the road onto the pavement where the workers were sleeping, she said.

    ​ALSO READ: PM Modi announces Rs 2 lakh ex gratia for kin of 15 labourers killed in Surat accident

    “The truck was on its way to Mandvi from Kim. The driver lost control of the vehicle after it hit sugarcane hanging out of the tractor trolley coming from the opposite direction.

    “The truck’s front window pane shattered on impact, which blocked the driver’s vision. The truck then veered off the road and crashed into the sleeping labourers,” she said.

    Three workers injured in the tragedy are being treated in a nearby hospital, the police official said.

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that ex-gratia of Rs two lakh from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund would be given to the next of kin of each person killed in the accident and Rs 50,000 would be given to each injured.

    “The loss of lives due to a truck accident in Surat is tragic. My thoughts are with the bereaved families. Praying that the injured recover at the earliest,” the PMO tweeted, quoting Modi.

  • PM Modi announces Rs 2 lakh ex gratia for kin of 15 labourers killed in Surat accident

    By ANI
    NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences over the accident in which 15 people died in Gujarat’s Surat and also announced ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh each to the kin of the deceased from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF).

    “The loss of lives due to a truck accident in Surat is tragic. My thoughts are with the bereaved families. Praying that the injured recover at the earliest: PM,” the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) tweeted.

    “Ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of those who have lost their lives due to the accident in Surat. Rs 50,000 each would be given to those injured,” PMO said in another tweet.

    Fifteen people including seven men, seven women and a one-year-old child died were killed after they were run over by a truck in Surat’s Kosamba late Monday night, Usha Rada, District Superintendent of Police, Surat Rural said.

    Six people, who suffered injuries in the accident, have been hospitalised.

    The deceased were labourers hailing from Banswada district in Rajasthan. During the time of the incident, the people were sleeping on a footpath.

    “A truck collided with a tractor loaded with sugarcane after which the driver of the truck lost control of the vehicle and drove it over the pavement where the people were sleeping,” CM Jadeja, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Kamrej Division, Surat said.

    Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot also condoled the deaths and wished speedy recovery of injured.

    “Deeply saddened to know many labourers from #Banswara, #Rajasthan have lost lives after a truck ran over them as they were sleeping near the road in #Surat. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and prayers for speedy recovery of those injured,’ Gehlot tweeted.