They were walking on the highway near Limdi when a speeding truck hit the group; three hurt.
Two Jain sadhvis were killed and three others were injured when a speeding truck hit them near Limdi on the Rajkot-Ahmedabad highway on Wednesday.
The deceased sadhvis have been identified as Nirjarabai Mahasatiji and Suvidhabhai Mahasatiji, both of whom belong to the Airamar Sthankwasi Jain sect of the Jain community. Sources said that the tragic incident happened when the truck hit them while they walking on the Sayla-Limadi road, near Vadod village.
The driver of the truck, Anish Maqsud Pathan, has been arrested by the police from Por village in Vadodara district.
The injured sadhvis were rushed to the Sal hospital in Ahmedabad. According to sources, the injured have been identified as Vijabai Mahasatiji, Surajbai Mahasatiji and Smruddhibai Mahasatiji. Sources said that the condition of Vijabai and Suajbai is serious and that they have been admitted to the ICU ward of the hospital. Smruddhi Mahasatiji is in the general ward and is recovering.
Jasmin Shah, president of the Saradharma Raksha Committee told DNA: "Recently, two Jain religious leaders were killed in road accidents in Rajasthan, but the police have not yet found out the persons responsible for it. The state government should taken serious view of such incidents of accidents."
In a similar accident in November last year, four Jain sadhvis who were on their way to Unjha town were mowed down by a speeding truck. In the same month, two Jain monks were injured after a Qualis car hit them in similar manner on the highway. The accidents sparked off widespread protests in the Jain community.
SP, Surendranagar, Ashok Kumar ruled out the possibility of a conspiracy in the case. He said, "Looking at the scene of the crime and other evidence, it cannot be said that there was a conspiracy. However, more details will be revealed only after we conduct an investigation."
Both the deceased sadhvis belonged to Kutch. Nirjarabai Mahasatiji, 45, was known as Nirmalaben before taking diksha. She hailed from Samakhyali and Suvidhabai Mahasatiji, 33, was from Lakadia in Kutch.
Shocked Jain munis ask for fair probe
Prima facie, Jain leaders do not feel that there was any conspiracy behind the tragic deaths of the Jain sadhvis in the road accident on the Ahmedabad-Rajkot highway on Wednesday. They felt that the terrible incident was not a planned or intentional one, but at the same time they felt it was the job of the police to investigate every angle of the case.
Jain monks have also expressed their deep sorrow on the deaths of the sadhvis.
Jain religious leader Abhaydevsuriswarji Maharaj Saheb said: "It is very sad that Jain monks are dying in road accidents. This is an extremely sad incident. From now onwards, Jain monks should move about from place to place very, very carefully.
Another Jain monk, Mitranandsagarji Maharaj Saheb said: "State government has handed over the inquiry of deaths of Jain monks in road accidents to the crime branch. If these accidents are investigated thoroughly, then there are chances of some astonishing results emerging.”
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