As soon as Nilesh's wife saw the two fall, she screamed for help; a few passers-by rushed to her aid
This 30-year-old didn't give a thought to how his drinking could be injurious to her health; and he lost her - his four-year-old daughter. The Virar resident, his wife and their toddler were on their way home in the wee hours of Wednesday after attending a wedding function.
An inebriated Nilesh Satvi, who was singing and stumbling along, had the toddler Gauri on his shoulders, when he lost balance while crossing a small bridge, and both fell under it. Gauri, who first hit rocks, got crushed to death on the spot after Nilesh fell on her. The father sustained minor injuries.
Sources said the incident occurred near Thadacha Pada in Saivaan village near Mandvi around 2.30 am on Wednesday.
Nilesh, his wife and daughter Gauri were walking back to their village after attending a relative's wedding. Nilesh, who was drunk, had Gauri on his shoulders, while his wife was a few feet behind them. While crossing a small bridge near Thadacha Pada, he lost his footing, and both he and Gauri plummeted 20 feet under the bridge.
Gauri fell first, hitting her head on the rocks below, and later, got crushed under Nilesh, who fell on her a few seconds later. She died on the spot due to multiple injuries to her head and chest, while Nilesh sustained minor injuries.
As soon as Nilesh's wife saw the two fall, she screamed for help; a few passers-by rushed to her aid, going down and bringing the father and daughter up and taking them to a hospital in Mandvi.
Investigating officer in the case assistant inspector SB Dhone said, "Gauri fell on the rocks. When Nilesh fell on her, her skull and rib cage got fractured, blood oozing from her ears and nose; she died on the spot. He sustained minor injuries as the girl cushioned him."
Nilesh was given discharge after treatment, said an officer from Virar police station, adding, "An accidental death report has been registered. The body was handed over to the parents after an autopsy."
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