Four killed as SUV rams stationary dumper on Bharatmala Expressway near Surat
Synopsis
Four members of a family travelling to a pilgrimage site were killed instantly when their SUV rear-ended a dumper that had stopped on the Bharatmala Expressway near Surat. Strikingly, an almost identical crash on the same expressway killed four people from another family in April — pointing to a dangerous pattern of broken-down heavy vehicles left unmarked on a high-speed corridor.
Key Takeaways
Four people — Rajiv Jain , Jayanti Doshi , Pravin Jain , and Sanjay Khemchand — died at the spot on 25 September 2026 .
The crash occurred near the Tapi overbridge , Kamrej , on the Bharatmala Expressway in Surat district .
The family was travelling from Mumbai to the Shankheshwar temple in Patan district .
The dumper had reportedly stopped due to an air-pressure failure ; police are investigating its positioning on the live carriageway.
A near-identical rear-end crash on the same expressway on 8 April killed four members of the Adenwala family from Khambhat .
Four people were killed on Friday, 25 September 2026, after an SUV crashed into a stationary dumper truck on the Bharatmala Expressway near Kamrej in Gujarat's Surat district, according to police. All four occupants of the car died at the spot, making it one of the deadliest single-vehicle crashes on this stretch in recent months.
How the Accident Happened
The collision occurred near the Tapi overbridge in the Kamrej area. The dumper had reportedly developed an air-pressure problem, prompting its driver to bring the heavy vehicle to a halt on the expressway. The SUV, travelling from Maharashtra toward Gujarat, then struck the rear of the stationary truck at speed, severely damaging the front portion of the car. According to police, the impact proved fatal for all four passengers immediately.
Who the Victims Were
The deceased were identified as Rajiv Jain, Jayanti Doshi, Pravin Jain, and Sanjay Khemchand. All four were members of the same family and were reportedly on a pilgrimage from Mumbai to the Shankheshwar temple in Patan district. The bodies were sent for post-mortem examination.
Response and Investigation
Personnel from Kamrej police reached the scene shortly after receiving information about the crash and initiated the necessary legal proceedings. Traffic movement on the expressway was temporarily disrupted before the damaged vehicles were removed to restore the flow. Police are now investigating the circumstances surrounding the dumper's positioning on the live carriageway following its reported technical failure, and how the approaching SUV failed to brake in time.
A Pattern of Fatal Rear-End Crashes on This Expressway
This is not an isolated incident on the Bharatmala Expressway. On 8 April, four members of a Khambhat family — Hozefa Adenwala, Murtaza Adenwala, Munira Adenwala, and Joyeb Murtaza Adenwala — were killed under near-identical circumstances when their car ploughed into the rear of a stationary goods truck near EDastan village. That truck had also stopped on the expressway due to a tyre burst. The recurrence raises serious questions about whether broken-down heavy vehicles are being adequately marked and whether emergency protocols on this high-speed corridor are being enforced.
Further details are awaited as the investigation into Friday's crash progresses.
Point of View
But high-speed roads demand equally robust emergency protocols: mandatory reflective triangles, hazard lighting, and immediate lane closure when a vehicle breaks down. Neither crash appears to have involved any advance warning to following traffic. Until authorities enforce breakdown marking requirements for heavy vehicles on this stretch and review whether emergency bays are accessible and clearly signed, the expressway's high-speed promise will keep generating high-speed fatalities.
NationPress
25 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened on the Bharatmala Expressway near Surat on 25 September 2026?
An SUV carrying four family members crashed into a stationary dumper near the Tapi overbridge in Kamrej, Surat district, killing all four occupants instantly. The dumper had stopped on the expressway due to a reported air-pressure problem.
Who were the victims of the Bharatmala Expressway accident?
The four victims were identified as Rajiv Jain, Jayanti Doshi, Pravin Jain, and Sanjay Khemchand. They were members of the same family travelling from Mumbai to the Shankheshwar temple in Patan district.
Why had the dumper stopped on the expressway?
Preliminary information from police indicates the dumper developed an air-pressure problem, prompting its driver to halt the vehicle on the road. Police are investigating the manner in which the dumper was positioned on the live carriageway.
Has a similar accident happened on the Bharatmala Expressway before?
Yes. On 8 April, four members of the Adenwala family from Khambhat were killed in a near-identical crash on the same expressway near Ena/Dastan village, when their car hit a goods truck that had stopped after a tyre burst.
What action has been taken after the accident?
Kamrej police reached the scene, initiated legal proceedings, and sent the bodies for post-mortem examination. Damaged vehicles were removed to restore traffic. An investigation into the circumstances of the crash is ongoing.
