Surendarnagar: Seven people, including four women, were killed and several others injured after a speeding truck ran over a group of pilgrims in Gujarat’s Surendranagar district during the early hours of Monday, April 13, 2026. the tragic incident occurred around 1:30 AM on the Lakhtar-Viramgam highway near Bhaskarpara village. The victims were part of a religious procession walking from Rajkot to the Bahucharaji temple to offer prayers when the vehicle struck them from behind.
According to Lakhtar Police Inspector Yogesh Patel, the truck was being driven recklessly and at a very high speed. Among the deceased were six pilgrims and the driver of a dumper that had been parked on the roadside at the time of the collision. While the exact number of injured persons is still being determined, they were rushed to nearby medical facilities for urgent treatment. The impact of the crash was so severe that seven lives were lost almost instantaneously at the site.
The truck driver fled the scene immediately after the accident, leaving the vehicle behind. Local police have launched a massive manhunt to apprehend the absconding driver and have registered a case of rash and negligent driving causing death. The incident has cast a pall of gloom over the local community, highlighting the persistent dangers faced by foot pilgrims on major highways during religious festivals and processions.
