PANJIM/MARGAO: Six fatal accidents involving rent-a-cabs were reported in Goa in a little over a year, while 23 accidents causing injuries were recorded across the State during the same period. All six deaths were reported within the jurisdiction of the North Goa district, which also recorded seven injury accidents involving rent-a-cabs.
Yogendra Singh Dahiya and his colleague, Ankit Singh Balian, were killed af-ter the rent-a-cab in which they were travelling was rammed by a fuel tanker that crossed the divider at Bambolim on November 4, 2025.
Dahiya was the president of the All India Sepaktakraw Association and was in the State in connection with a Sepaktakraw championship.
An 86-year-old NRI tour-ist from the United King-dom (UK), Harish Solanki, was killed after being knocked down by a speed-ing rent-a-cab driven by Vicky Jain. The accident occurred at Candolim on April 25, 2025, when Solanki and his wife, Chandrakanta (81), were walking along the roadside after coming out of their hotel.
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In another fatal accident reported under the Anjuna Police Station jurisdiction, Bhagat Ram Sharma (65), a tourist from Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, was killed in a collision involving two cars at Happy Bar Junction, Assagao, on February 23, 2026.
According to police, the accident occurred when Shaurya Goyal (19), a BBA student from Hauz Khas, New Delhi, allegedly drove a rent-a-cab in a rash and negligent manner while proceeding from Mapusa towards Anjuna and collided with an oncoming car that was proceeding roceedin from Assagao towards Parra. Goyal was holidaying in Goa with four female students when the accident occurred, police said.
The fifth fatal accident was reported under the Mandrem Police Station jurisdiction on June 14, 2024. The latest and sixth fatal accident was reported at Agacaim Police Station on July 10, when 49-year-old Janardhan Tukaram Harmalkar of Mahakhazan, Dhargal, Pernem, was killed in a horrific road accident at Goa Velha. A 16-year-old boy from Vasco allegedly drove a rent-a-cab in a rash and negligent manner under the influence of alcohol while proceeding from Bambolim towards Margao and, on reaching Goa Velha, collided with a two-wheel-er ridden by Harmalkar.
According to police sources, 14 accidents involving rent-a-car vehicles were reported across South Goa between January and May 2026. Verna police stations recorded the highest four accidents, three by Margao Town PS, while Colva, Quepem, Vasco, Mor-mugao, Curchorem, Maina-Curtorim, and Mardol police stations reported one accident each.
One of the most serious accidents involved a rented car in a hit-and-run case on the Margao-Cuncolim road at Sirlim. The vehicle, driven by Swaraj Jagtap of Pune, allegedly struck a 44-year-old woman Nivia Gomes riding a two-wheeler, critically injuring her before fleeing the scene. Police later arrested the driver and seized the vehicle.
Another incident was reported near the Whole-sale Fish Market at Margao, where a rented vehicle collided with a private vehicle.
