8 killed in Gujarat as crane rams into asleep family

Among the dead was an eight-year-old girl, her sister and parents

Eight persons were killed while two sustained injuries after a modified crane ran over them while they were asleep in their roadside hut in Amreli district in the wee hours of Monday. Police said that prima facie the reason behind the accident was the driver falling asleep on the wheel.

District Superintendent of Police Nirlipt Rai told DH that a modified crane crashed into a hut on the right side of the road, about 300 meters before the railway crossing in Barda village in the Savarkundla rural police station area, leading to the death of eight persons. The incident occurred between 2:30 and 3 am. Among the dead was an eight-year-old girl, Puja Sakhla, her 13-year-old sister Sukan, their father Hemraj,37, and mother Lakshmi, 30.

Chief Minister Vijay Rupani announced Rs 4 lakh ex gratia to the affected family and ordered the district collector for an immediate investigation into the accident. Locals said that the victims were all daily wage earners.