Six people, including a nine-year-old child, were killed and around 30 others injured when a luxury bus travelling from Rajasthan to Gujarat crashed into a stationary truck near Kotambi International Cricket Stadium in Vadodara at around 4 am on Wednesday. The
bus, operated by Balaji Travels, was carrying passengers from Banswara in Rajasthan to Surat in Gujarat. The impact was severe enough to trap several passengers inside the mangled vehicle, triggering an emergency rescue operation. The bus driver’s cabin was crushed, and passengers in the front seats were pulled out after the fire department cut open the side of the vehicle.
Four of the six victims have been identified as Vinod Damor, 30, Mukesh Dindor, 34, Preet Bhatia, nine, and Mahendra Pandya, 68. Among the injured are two children aged 12 and 10.
The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF)—its headquarters in Jarod is about 8 km from the accident site—the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), the Vadodara Fire and Emergency Services Department, and the police were involved in the rescue operation.
Surendra Singh, NDRF’s 6th Battalion Commandant, said that the control room received the alert at 4.40 am. “On reaching the spot, we found a heavy collision between a passenger bus and a truck. The team immediately launched rescue operations using cutting tools and other advanced equipment,” he said.
When the operation ended, 24 people had been pulled out safely, while five bodies were recovered from the wreckage. A sixth death was confirmed separately. Singh said the rescue teams conducted a final sweep to ensure no one was trapped before ending the operation.
Around 30 injured passengers were shifted to SSG Hospital in Vadodara for treatment. One injured passenger, Bansilal, told the media that he had been travelling from Rajasthan to Surat for work and was asleep when the crash occurred. “It felt like an electric shock,” he said.
The collision caused the side of the truck to split open, spilling hundreds of heavy sacks onto the road and blocking the busy highway. The road was later cleared and reopened to traffic
Senior police officials said that a case has been registered at Waghodia police station and an investigation is underway.
Vadodara Mayor Geeta Makwana, Deputy Mayor Aditya Patel, and other BJP leaders rushed to SSG Hospital to meet the injured.
Aditi Raja is an Assistant Editor with The Indian Express, stationed in Vadodara, Gujarat, with over 20 years in the field. She has been reporting from the region of Central Gujarat and Narmada district for this newspaper since 2013, which establishes her as a highly Authoritative and Trustworthy source on regional politics, administration, and critical socio-economic and environmental issues. Expertise: Core Authority & Specialization: Her reporting is characterized by a comprehensive grasp of the complex factors shaping Central Gujarat, which comprises a vast tribal population, including: Politics and Administration: In-depth analysis of dynamics within factions of political parties and how it affects the affairs in the region, visits of national leaders making prominent statements, and government policy decisions impacting the population on ground. Crucial Regional Projects: She consistently reports on the socio-economic and political impact of infrastructure projects in the region, especially the Statue of Unity, the Sardar Sarovar Project on the Narmada River, the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail bullet train project as well as the National Highway infrastructure. Social Justice and Human Rights: Her reporting offers deep coverage of sensitive human-interest topics, including gender, crime, and tribal issues. Her reports cover legal proceedings from various district courts as well as the Gujarat High Court (e.g., the Bilkis Bano case remission, POCSO court orders, Public Interest Litigations), the plight of tribal communities, and broader social conflicts (e.g., Kheda flogging case). Local Impact & Disaster Reporting: Excels in documenting the immediate impact of events on communities, such as the political and civic fallout of the Vadodara floods, the subsequent public anger, and the long-delayed river redevelopment projects, Harni Boat Tragedy, Air India crash, bringing out a blend of stories from the investigations as well as human emotions. Special Interest Beat: She tracks incidents concerning Non-Resident Gujaratis (NRIs) including crime and legal battles abroad, issues of illegal immigration and deportations, as well as social events connecting the local Gujarati experience to the global diaspora. ... Read More