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Elderly tourist killed in Goa after speeding Thar rams his vehicle, case filed

The deceased, identified as Bhagat Sharma, 65, was a resident of Bhopal and was on a holiday in Goa.

Updated on: Feb 24, 2026, 23:12:02 IST
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An elderly person was killed in north Goa on Monday after a renter Thar SUV carrying a group of young tourists rammed into his vehicle at a crossroad junction at Assagao, police said.

The police have registered a case of rash and negligent driving against the driver of the rented jeep. (X/ Screengrab)
The police have registered a case of rash and negligent driving against the driver of the rented jeep. (X/ Screengrab)

The deceased, identified as Bhagat Sharma, 65, was a resident of Bhopal and was on a holiday in Goa. The victim was driving a Hyundai i20 when the Thar, which was allegedly speeding, rammed into him, leaving him severely injured.

According to eyewitnesses, while Sharma remained conscious in the aftermath of the accident, he suffered serious injuries. He was shifted to a hospital in a private ambulance after the emergency response ambulance service allegedly took more than an hour to arrive. Sharma was travelling in the car with another woman and a five-year-old child, both of whom survived the crash with the latter emerging unscathed.

“There was a woman driving the Thar, the vehicle was speeding and it crashed into the white hatchback. I helped the victims from the vehicle. There was an elderly man who was severely injured, especially on the head and skull. The other occupant was injured too, but the baby was fine, Myron Fernandes, a local resident and eyewitness, said.

The local resident further added, "After about an hour they were taken to hospital in a private ambulance, and about 15 minutes after they left, the government ambulance arrived.”

Fernandes said that at the time of the accident the Thar was being driven by a woman. However, immediately after the crash, the woman shifted and sat in the passenger seat, in an alleged attempt to escape accountability. “The male member of the group went and sat in the driver’s seat following the crash,” he said.

“The police have registered a case of rash and negligent driving against the driver of the rented jeep. The vehicle has been seized, and further investigation is underway to ascertain the exact sequence of events leading to the collision,” a police officer, who declined to be named, said.

  • Gerard de Souza
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Gerard de Souza

    Gerard de Souza is a Special Correspondent based in Goa and has been reporting on and about issues concerning the state and the wider western coast of India for over 18 years. His wide range of stories covers politics, crime, environment and tourism-related concerns emerging from India’s smallest state. Born and brought up in Goa, he has a deep understanding of the former Portuguese enclave’s evolution from a laidback collection of idyllic villages that first drew flower power generation of counter culture enthusiasts to its shores to one that has become synonymous in Indian popular culture with an aspirational holiday, seeing the best (and worst) that holidayers have to offer. He also keenly follows criminal trials. Most notably, he covered the trial surrounding the killing of Scarlett Keeling, a British teenager found dead on Anjuna beach, and that of Danielle McLaughlin similarly killed in south Goa, among others. He authored the book ‘Crimes of Passion: When Desire Turns Deadly,’ chronicling cases of romance turning to rage and murder. A graduate of Goa University, he learnt the trade on the job and has experience on both the reporting and editorial sides of the profession. When not sniffing around for a worthy headline, he likes to spend time outdoors to help ensure his heart is always in the right place.Read More

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