Kandivli family killed on their way back from temple visit

Kandivli resident Harshad Solanki, 34, was returning to the city with his wife and eight-year-old son after visiting a temple in Gujarat when their bus met with the accident in Thane district, killing all three of them. Farhan Shaikh reports.

Kandivli resident Harshad Solanki, 34, was returning to the city with his wife and eight-year-old son after visiting a temple in Gujarat when their bus met with the accident in Thane district, killing all three of them.

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As the families searched for them, they hoped they were just injured, but nine hours after the incident, their bodies arrived at Bhagwati hospital.

Sunil Mistry, Harshad’s cousin, said: “Sonal was staying at her mother’s place with Daksh for a while during the vacations. Harshad had gone to fetch them and they were supposed to return on Wednesday morning.”

Harshad had told his cousin that they were planning to visit the temple at Chotila before heading back to the city.

“We grew restless by 9am as we knew that they were to reach Mumbai early in the morning,” Mistry said.

Mistry then called up the bus operator, who informed him about the accident.

As there was no official news about the whereabouts of the trio, some family members left for Medvan Ghat, where the accident occurred.

Mistry, who was running from ward to ward at Bhagwati hospital, finally identified their bodies at 3pm.

Harshad is survived by his aged mother.

“We have not yet informed her about the loss. We don’t know how to break the news to her. She suffers from heart disease and has had a heart attack in the past. We will eventually have to tell her when the bodies are brought for cremation,” said a family member, who did not wish to be named.

The bodies were taken to the Solankis’ Kandivli flat for the last rites on Wednesday evening.