65 road accident calls received by emergency service in Goa during Diwali weekend

Panaji: The '108' ambulance service in Goa received 65 calls pertaining to road accidents during the Diwali weekend, 30 per cent more than the daily average, the agency said on Tuesday.

Of the total accidents reported on Saturday and Sunday, 90 per cent were involving two-wheelers, said a spokesperson of the ambulance service, which is being operated as part of a state government initiative.

The coastal state has a long held tradition of burning the effigies of demon Narakasur on the eve of Diwali, to mark the victory of good over evil.

The spokesperson of the ambulance service, an initiative of EMRI Green Services, said they received 65 calls related to road accidents on Saturday and Sunday, 30 per cent more than the daily average.

They received a total of 1,191 emergency calls over the weekend - 528 on Saturday and 663 on Sunday - for different exigencies including health emergency, the spokesman said.