Surat Accident: 15 Migrant Workers Sleeping on Footpath Crushed to Death by Truck, Ex-gratia Announced
19-January-2021

Fifteen migrant workers sleeping on the sidewalk were killed after a truck ran over in Surat, Gujarat on Tuesday.

After a collision between a truck and a sugarcane tractor, the truck driver lost balance and his vehicle climbed over the sleeping people on the sidewalk on the Kim Mandvi Highway.

All the deceased are from Banswara in Rajasthan. News agency ANI reported 13 of the victims were labourers.

BJP leader Om Birla condoled the victims' deaths after the incident. "Getting to know about a tragic accident in Surat, Gujarat, in which many workers who slept on the sidewalk died. I express my deepest condolences to all the bereaved family members of this heart-wrenching accident and wish the injured to get well soon," he said on Twitter.

The PMO announced Rs 2 lakh ex-gratia for the kin of those who had died, and Rs 50,000 to those who had been injured. "The loss of lives due to a truck accident in Surat is tragic. My thoughts are with the bereaved families. Praying that the injured recover at the earliest," said Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a tweet.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan's office said in a tweet that the CM expressed deep condolences after the death of several civilians in the horrific road accident in Surat, Gujarat. "The Chief Minister prayed to God to give peace to the departed souls, to provide support to their family members in this difficult time and to make the injured fully healthy," the tweet said.

Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot expressed sadness after the incident, as well. "Deeply saddened to know many labourers from Banswara, Rajasthan have lost their lives after a truck ran over them as they were sleeping near a road in Surat. My heartfelt condolences to bereaved families and prayers for speedy recovery of the injured," he said.