'Extremely critical': Pall of gloom descends on retired teacher’s family after Vadodara car crash

VADODARA: A pall of gloom descended upon the family of a retired teacher after a 23-year-old law student, Rakshit Ravish Chaurasia, allegedly killed one woman and injured eight others with a speeding car in Vadodara early on Friday near Muktanand Crossroads in the Karelibaug area of the city.
The accident victim, identified as Hemali Patel, was the daughter-in-law of former teacher of M S University’s Polytechnic College, Dipak Sumantlal Patel, sources close to the family said.
Dipak S Patel worked with the mechanical engineering department of Polytechnic College and retired from the college 14 years ago, MSU officials informed TOI.
Sources close to the family said that Patel’s son, Purav Patel, who also got injured in the car crash, is battling for his life at the state-run SSG Hospital, the biggest govt hospital in Central Gujarat.
“Purav is extremely critical. He received multiple injuries in the chest, head, and shoulders due to the crash. He is currently admitted to the ICU, undergoing treatment in the surgery ward at SSG Hospital,” former Principal of Polytechnic College, Dilip Patel, a close family associate, told TOI.
“Losing his daughter-in-law and witnessing his son critical at this age has completely broken him,” Patel, who along with former teachers and staff members of Polytechnic College visited the govt hospital on Friday, told TOI.
The final rites of the accident victim were carried out at the Karelibaug crematorium.
Meanwhile, MSU officials informed TOI that they are mulling strict action against the accused, Rakshit Ravish Chaurasia, who is a student of the Faculty of Law. “We are holding a meeting today and will decide on the action as per the rules,” MSU’s in-charge Vice-Chancellor, Professor Dhanesh Patel, who also holds the position of Principal of Polytechnic College, told TOI.