VASCO
A horrific road accident at Shindolim in Sancoale on Friday afternoon claimed the life of 37-year-old JCB operator Ashok Chavan after a speeding Mercedes allegedly rammed his motorcycle and dragged it for nearly two kilometres before both vehicles caught fire.
Chavan, a resident of Shindolim, Sancoale, but a native of Jharkhand was riding a motorcycle when it was allegedly hit by a Mercedes car. Chavan was reportedly working as a JCB operator and had recently returned to Goa after travelling to his native village as his daughter was unwell.
In a tragic twist, Chavan had been riding double-seat shortly before the crash. The pillion rider had reportedly got off the motorcycle just a few minutes before the accident, narrowly escaping what could have been a double tragedy.
According to sources, the Mercedes was allegedly being driven at high speed by Vidhyadhar Prabhu, 32, a resident of Fatorda.
Sources claimed that the Mercedes rammed into the motorcycle and, after the driver allegedly realised that the bike had become lodged underneath the car, he continued driving instead of stopping. The Mercedes reportedly travelled around 500 metres before the driver stopped and allegedly attempted to pull the motorcycle out from beneath the vehicle. However, as people began approaching the spot, the driver allegedly fled again, continuing for another 1.5 kilometres with the motorcycle trapped underneath. The situation turned horrific when the vehicle could travel no further and both the car and motorcycle caught fire. Thick flames engulfed the vehicles, triggering panic among people in the vicinity. Fire tenders were immediately rushed to the site and firefighters battled the blaze. People at the spot also managed to rescue the Mercedes driver from the burning vehicle. The motorcycle was completely gutted, while the Mercedes was also severely damaged in the fire. Verna Police reached the site and initiated an investigation into the accident. The allegations regarding the driver’s condition, the sequence of events and the circumstances in which the motorcycle was dragged are expected to be examined as part of the investigation.
The incident has also sparked anger among locals, particularly because the crash occurred around the time school students would ordinarily be moving through the area. Residents said it was sheer luck that the speeding vehicle did not strike students or pedestrians, which could have resulted in an even greater loss of life.
Residents have urged police to conduct a thorough investigation and take the strongest possible action against reckless driving to prevent similar tragedies on Sancoale’s roads.
