Six persons, including three women, were killed on Thursday night in Anand district of Gujarat when a speeding SUV collided with an auto-rickshaw. Khetan Padhiyar, the son-in-law of Congress MLA Punambhai Madhabhai Parmar from the Sojitra seat, is reported to have been driving the SUV that crashed the other vehicles. Police have registered a case of culpable homicide not amounting to murder against the accused. 

A state highway connecting Tarapura and Anand district was the scene of an accident close to Sojitra village. The car’s driver was reportedly intoxicated, according to early information. Unfortunately, three members of the same family, the mother and two daughters died. On Rakshabandhan, both sisters and their mother went to tie rakhi at the home of their maternal uncle.

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Padhiyar, who was allegedly driving the SUV, fled after abandoning the vehicle at the spot. But he was later traced and caught, district Superintendent of Police Ajit Rajian said.

“Six people died in an accident that took place between a car, bike and an auto rickshaw at around 7 pm in Anand. Four people on the auto and two on bike died on the spot and the driver of the car is under treatment in a hospital. Investigation is underway,” Abhishek Gupta, ASP Anand stated.

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An autorickshaw and a motorcycle were slammed from behind by a speeding Kia Seltos SUV on the Sojitra highway. The deceased have been named as Yogesh, Sandeep, Yasan Vohra, an autorickshaw driver, Jiyaben Mistri, Janviben Mistri, and their mother Vinaben Mistri, all of Navagadh village in Sojitra.

Yogesh and Sandeep were on a motorcycle, while Vinaben, Jiya, and Janvi were riding an autorickshaw. Four individuals died on the spot, and two more died of their injuries while being treated at a hospital. Local police authorities informed that the deceased were citizens of the district’s Sojitra and Boriyavi villages.

Police said, “The accused has been arrested. IPC Section 304 has been invoked. Details of the six deceased have been found. Accused Ketan Padhiyar is the son-in-law of a Congress MLA.”

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(With inputs from agency)