TEAM HERALD
bureau@herald-goa.com
VASCO: In a tragic accident, a 15-year-old SSC student from Thana-Cortalim was crushed to death by a tanker at Amblem Bhat, Cortalim, on Wednesday.
According to the deceased’s neighbour, Cecelia Avila Fernandes, a student of Our Lady of Perpetual Succor High School Cortalim, went home early and told her parents that she was going to drop her friend. “Fernandes took her scooter (GA-09-F-8118) and after reaching her friend was on her way back home when the tanker (GA-05-T-8825) knocked her down, killing her on the spot,” informed the neighbour.
An eye witness said the tanker, which was speeding towards Lotulim, knocked down Fernandes, who was proceeding towards Cortalim.
“The impact was such that the girl came under the rear wheels of the truck and she was dragged almost 35 mtrs away,” informed the eye witness.
Former Cortalim sarpanch Anton Joa Fernandes said a month back, a 26-year-old man had lost his life at Kurpa Waddo, Cortalim. “Trucks and other heavy vehicles zoom past the narrow road, endangering the lives of the residents and children who use the road for their daily chores. It is just a five metre width road and it is very difficult for two heavy vehicles to cross at a given time,” he added.
“Since the area is accident prone, the villagers had urged the authority concerned to divert all the heavy traffic through the by-pass road which is constructed through Verna Industrial Estate. The traffic was diverted for some time and over the period of time the heavy traffic resumed plying again along the Cortalim-Lotulim narrow road,” said Fernandes.
People gathered at the site informed that the tanker driver was under the influence of alcohol and the police whisked him away.
When contacted Verna Police, Head Constable Narendra Salgaokar informed that the driver was at the police outpost at Cortalim, however when Herald visited the police outpost, neither the police personnel nor the tanker driver were present.
Sources at Verna Police told Herald that the police personnel at the outpost, without the knowledge of seniors, shifted the tanker driver to Hospicio in Margao.
However when contacted, Verna PI Rajesh Kumar said driver was taken to the Hospicio for alcohol test.
PI Kumar further informed that the body of the girl was sent at Hospisio in Margao for autopsy and police is investigating the case.
