Five from Gujarat killed as SUV hits divider amid fog in Bathinda

The victims were returning from a hill station in Himachal Pradesh when their SUV crashed into road divider amid fog, killing all five

Five tourists from Gujarat, including a woman police constable, were killed when their SUV crashed into a road divider on the Bathinda-Dabwali highway on a foggy Saturday morning, police said.

A crane removing the vehicle in which five people, including a woman, from Gujarat were killed after it crashed into the road divider on the Bathinda-Dabwali highway on a foggy Saturday morning. (Sanjeev Kumar/HT)

The deceased were identified as Janaksinh Vaghela, Bharatsinh, Satish, Arjun and Amita, all related and aged 25 to 30.

Bathinda superintendent of police (SP) Narinder Singh said the victims were returning to Gujarat from a hill station in Himachal Pradesh. The accident occurred near Gurthadi village around 8 am amid dense fog, soon after the victims started their journey from Bathinda.

He said the victims were rushed to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Bathinda, where the five were declared dead on arrival.

“We have yet to confirm their destination in the hill state. The Bathinda district authorities have contacted the families of the victims and further information will be gathered after their arrival here,” said the SP.

According to police sources, the Toyota Fortuner was being driven at a high speed. “Bodies have been shifted to the mortuary. No other vehicle was involved in the mishap,” said the SP.