New Delhi, 13 April (H.S.):

A devastating road accident in Gujarat's Surendranagar district claimed seven lives and left four others grievously injured when a speeding truck crushed a group of pedestrians on the Lakhtar-Viramgam national highway in the early hours between Sunday and Monday.

According to Lakhtar police station, around 1:30 a.m., a contingent of devotees was proceeding on foot from Rajkot toward the Bahucharaji Mata temple for darshan. A truck approaching from behind suddenly lost control, slamming into the pilgrims and a stationary dumper driver parked roadside.

Among the deceased—five men and two women—six were devotees, with the seventh being the dumper operator. Rescue teams airlifted the critically wounded to hospitals, while authorities detained the truck driver for investigation into negligence amid poor visibility.

President Droupadi Murmu expressed profound sorrow on social media platform X, terming the Surendranagar mishap extremely heartbreaking. She extended deepest sympathies to the bereaved families and prayed for the swift recovery of the injured.

Vice President C.P. Radhakrishnan echoed this grief in an X post: I am deeply saddened by the loss of lives in the tragic road accident in Gujarat's Surendranagar. My heartfelt condolences to the grieving families; I pray for the injured's early recuperation.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi conveyed anguish over the heart-rending incident, offering deep condolences to families who lost loved ones and fervent prayers for the wounded's prompt healing. This collective lament underscores national solidarity in the face of such preventable tragedy.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar