65-year-old Bhopal tourist dies after Thar crashes into car in Goa
65-year-old Bhopal tourist dies after Thar crashes into car in Goa
A 65-year-old tourist from Bhopal died after his car was hit by a speeding Thar SUV at the Happy Bar junction in Assagao, Goa, as eyewitnesses allege occupants tried to switch seats.
A 65-year-old Bhagat Sharma, a resident of Bhopal, died after his car was struck by a speeding rented Thar SUV at the Happy Bar junction in Assagao, Goa. The deceased man was travelling in a white hatchback and was accompanied by a woman and a five-year-old child, who survived the crash. Eyewitnesses say the Thar was speeding at the time of impact, and there are claims that the occupants attempted to switch seats immediately after the collision.
Nearby residents, including Myron Fernandes, described a chaotic scene as Sharma sustained severe head injuries. He was conscious after the crash but in critical condition and was transported to a hospital in a private ambulance. Locals said the government ambulance arrived about an hour later, drawing questions about emergency response times in the area. The child remained unscathed, and the woman occupant also survived, though the exact injuries were not disclosed.
Police officials have registered a case of rash and negligent driving against the driver of the rented Thar. The vehicle has been seized and investigators are probing the sequence of events that led to the collision, including the possibility that seat-switching was an attempt to avoid accountability. The incident has sparked concerns about road safety and response times in Goa, especially in tourist-heavy corridors.
Authorities reiterate that investigations are ongoing and details will be shared as they become available. The survivor accounts and the vehicle seizure are part of the evolving story as investigators work to establish who was driving at the moment of impact and what contributed to the crash.
