Locals demand safety measures on NH66
Margao: A 45-year-old Cuncolim resident Ulhas Gaonkar was dragged nearly 100 metres along the highway at Panzarconi, Cuncolim after the two-wheeler he was riding was hit by a car on Wednesday morning, resulting in his death.
Police said the driver of the car, Sanjay Horakeri, a resident of Davorlim and a native of Belagavi, was driving in a rash and negligent manner, while proceeding from Margao towards Cuncolim on NH66.
The victim sustained injuries to his head and other parts of the body and succumbed on the way to the South Goa District Hospital, Margao.
Upset locals said similar accidents had occurred in the past and demanded that safety measures be put in place along the
highway. “We saw that he gave the side light indicator and was coming to have a cup of tea. Despite a divider and a speed breaker, the car came so fast, hit the bike, and dragged it to the wrong side of the road,” said an eyewitness. Locals questioned inaction on the part of the authorities to prevent such accidents from recurring.
“The police came, did the panchnama and wanted to remove everything from the spot. But who is going to study the reason the accident happened, because these kinds of accidents have happened in the past as well. We need action to be taken along this road because there are too many mishaps happening here. We need speedbreakers,” said the eyewitness.
Other locals who gathered at the site echoed his concerns. “The main things required here are speedbreakers and proper signage,” said one local.
The Cuncolim police registered an FIR in the incident.
An autopsy was conducted and the body was handed over to family members for last rites.
