‘Left with nothing…': In Vadodara village, a household struggles to understand how ‘entire family' was wiped off in seconds
The video of a distraught and helpless Sonal Padhiyar (45) crying for help to rescue her loved ones became a defining image of the tragedy that struck unsuspecting commuters.
Sonal's husband Ramesh (45) and children Vedika (4) and Naitik (2) died in the accident. Also among the dead were Ramesh's brothers-in-law Vakhatsinh Jadav (47) and Hasmukh Parmar (50), and Parmar's son-in-law Pravin Jadav (25).
Inside the house, grieving relatives surround Sonal who, with a bandaged arm, struggles to wipe away her tears before breaking down again. Discharged from the hospital on Thursday, she limps with the help of two relatives before sinking to the ground, crying out, 'How will I live this life with this pain? How will I survive this? My son is gone, my husband is gone… my daughter is gone.'
From their home in Dariyapura in Mujpur, the family had set out in their Eeco car for a pilgrimage to Bagdana in Bhavnagar to mark Guru Purnima as well as to 'fulfill a vow' (Badha) for the birth of Naitik – born after four older sisters.
They had only travelled about five kilometers before the vehicle fell into the river along with two trucks, a pick-up van, an autorickshaw, and a few other two-wheelers.
Ramesh, a contractual employee of IPCA in Padra taluka, was at the wheel when a segment of the bridge gave way and the vehicle fell into the swelling Mahisagar River.
Sonal was the only one in the car who survived.
Ramesh's father Ravjibhai, 72, is still struggling to understand how his 'entire family was finished' in a matter of seconds. 'He (Ramesh) was my only son… his son (Naitik) was born after several years of prayers and longing…'
Ravjibhai says his wife has been hospitalised due to shock.
'I am feeling such a pain that I cannot describe but I cannot even weep… My daughter-in-law is injured and numb,' he says before breaking off.
Admitted to SSG hospital on Wednesday, Sonal was brought home on Thursday to complete the last rites of her husband and children. 'We are taking her back to the hospital as she is injured and also in great discomfort. She needs healing,' says Arjun Padhiyar, Ramesh's cousin.
Arjun says the tragedy has 'taken away everything' from the family. 'Six of our family members, including two children and four male members, have died. Ramesh has left behind three daughters between the ages of three and six… How will Sonal look after them alone? Vakhatsinh and Hasmukhlal were married to Ramesh's sisters. Vakhatsinh has five daughters and a son while Hasmukhlal has two daughters and a son. One of his daughters was recently married to Pravinsinh, who has also been killed. They all worked as farm labourers.'
Arjun says he is worried about Ramesh's father now. 'My uncle has suffered two heart attacks recently. We are worried for him…' he adds.
On the compensation for the deceased, he says, 'The state government has announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh per victim. Compare that with the compensation that was announced for the victims of the air crash (Air India 171) last month… It means that the lives of poor people do not matter…'
The family cannot help but express anger at the 'negligence' of the administration. Says Ravjibhai, 'Our district Panchayat members had been writing letters since 2021, when the bridge developed the first big cracks. His warnings were ignored… We all knew that the bridge needed repairs but we never imagined that tragedy would strike in such a way and that too, in our home… We are left with nothing; my family is finished.'
Even as villagers and acquaintances of the family continue to pour in to express their grief, Ravjibhai says he does not want the government compensation. 'What will I do with it? My daughters have been widowed, my only son is gone. My granddaughter has been widowed… The two minor grandchildren are lost. If the government has to give me something, let them give me my family back. I do not want anything else… How long will we survive on the compensation money without our family…?'
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