PANAJI
It was a tragic Monday as three persons lost their lives and seven persons were injured in three different road mishaps at Maxem in Loliem-Canacona, Nandram-Mollem and Torda in Salvador do Mundo.
As many as eight vehicles – one bus, three cars and four two-wheelers – were damaged in the three road mishaps.
CANACONA
A journey towards a temple in Shiroda ended in tragedy for a family from Gadag-Karwar, when one person was killed and five other family members were seriously injured, while a bus passenger also sustained minor injures in a road mishap at Maxem in Loliem-Canacona.
The incident took place at about 8 am on Monday, when the Vernekar family were travelling in a Goa-registered car towards Shiroda, while the KTC bus was in the opposite direction.
According to police, the car driven by Rajesh Vernekar which was proceeding from Gadag-Karwar was proceeding towards Shiroda and was descending the Maxem slope, when the car veered to the right side, before crashing into an oncoming KTC Bus which was ascending the Maxem slope.
The KTC bus driver who spoke to media persons at the site said the car was descending the slope in the wrong lane and he stopped the bus to avert a mishap.
“The car, however, hit the bus head-on and with the impact, the front portion of the car got crushed and half of the car got badly mangled. I immediately dialled 108 and also informed police about the accident,” the driver said.
Motorists and locals gathered in large numbers, as the injured car occupants were taken out of the car and laid on the road. Valiant efforts were made to pull out the driver, Rajesh Vernekar (49), who was lying motionless after being crushed between the seat and steering wheel.
Locals tried to pull and break the mangled door, but he was finally pulled out after firefighters reached the site and cut open the mangled door.
The other injured car occupants were Anjali Vernekar (49), Ramdas Vernekar (29), Karishma Vernekar (55), Anusha Vernekar (21) and Twinkle Kolvekar (18).
Robhina Fakir (19) a passenger travelling in the KTC bus also sustained injuries in the mishap.
All six passengers were rushed to the Canacona CHC, where Fakir was discharged after first aid.
The injured members of the Vernekar family were later referred to the South Goa District Hospital in Margao, where the condition of Anjali is reported to be critical. Some members of the family were later shifted to the GMC hospital.
Incidentally, the accident site is about 100 mts away from the one-way road to the Manohar Parrikar Canacona Bypass Road and close to the site where a female pillion rider from Karwar had died in a road mishap a fortnight ago.
PONDA
Two persons died on the spot when a car proceeding from Goa to Hubballi rammed into a tree at Nandram-Mollem on Monday at 6 pm.
According to sources, the car was travelling at a high speed when the driver lost control of the car and the vehicle rammed into a roadside tree.
Two persons, Bharat M Tagarsi (43) from Hubbali and Navin Nagesh Raikar (36) from Dharwad died in the mishap. Their bodies were sent from the Pilaye Primary Health Centre to the South Goa District Hospital at Margao for an autopsy.
Locals claimed there have been many fatal accidents at the Nandram-Mollem turn and have requested authorities to widen the road between Anmod and Mollem.
PORVORIM
A woman was injured in a road mishap at Torda in Salvador do Mundo in Monday.
Porvorim Police informed that a car (GA-07-L-0555) which was going towards Torda from Paithona struck an oncoming scooter (GA-03-AV-8047), causing injuries to Darshana Gawde.
The car then skidded off the road and then dashed three stationary vehicles, an Activa scooter (GA-03-AV-3569), a Vespa scooter (GA-07-AD-6755) and an Activa scooter (GA-03-AB-3807).
Gawde sustained a hand fracture and was first shifted to District Hospital at Mapusa but was later shifted to Goa Medical College Hospital at Bambolim.
The car driver Saurabh Narulkar has been sent to GMC for medical checkup.
Police have registered an offence of rash and negligent driving against the car driver, Saurabh Narulkar, and is yet to take a statement of the injured woman.
