Gujarat truck accident: Death toll rises to 36, driver arrested

The death toll in the March 6 truck accident near Raghola village here reached 36 after four more persons succumbed to their injuries in hospital, police said on Saturday.

As many as 26 persons were killed instantly after a truck carrying a wedding party fell from a bridge near Ranghola village here on March 6.

Another four died the same day while undergoing treatment, while two more succumbed the on March 7, police said. "In the last 48 hours, four more persons, including a 13-year-old boy, died at the civil hospital at Bhavnagar, taking the death toll to 36," sub inspector of Jamrala policestation, K J Karapada, said. He further said that the condition of two of the injured was currently critical.

Meanwhile, truck driver Nitin Vaghela, who had fled the scene, was arrested on Friday. "He was hiding in the house of one of his relatives. His interrogation revealed that he did not have a licence to drive," Karapada said.

In an official release issued on Saturday, Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani expressed gratitude to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi for announcing a compensation of Rs 2 lakh to the family of the deceased and Rs 50,000 to the injured.