Italy tour turns tragic for Nagpur family: Hotelier & wife killed in road accident, 2 daughters & son injured
Nagpur hotelier Javed Akhtar (57) and his wife Nadira Gulshan, along with their 2 daughters and son, were on a ten-day tour of Italy and France
A NAGPUR hotelier and his wife were tragically killed in a road accident in Italy on the final day of their holiday, with their three children sustaining injuries, one of whom remains in a critical condition. The devastating incident occurred on 2 October.
Javed Akhtar (57) and his wife Nadira Gulshan, along with their daughters Arzoo Akhtar (22) and Shifa Akhtar (18) and son Jazel Akhtar (15), all residents of Civil Lines in Nagpur were on a 10-day tour of Italy and France.
Iqbal Azmi, a relative and retired deputy superintendent of police, told PTI, "Their 9-seater taxi collided with another vehicle in Grosseto, Tuscany, on the morning of 2 October. Javed and Nadira died, while Arzoo is critically injured. She has undergone an operation and is currently unconscious. Shifa and Jazel also sustained injuries."
Azmi added: "We managed to speak with Shifa over a video call. Two of our relatives have now flown to Italy. The Maharashtra administration and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis are assisting us with the necessary arrangements." The family owns the Gulshan Plaza hotel in Nagpur, and the accident took place on what was meant to be the last day of their trip.
Confirming the developments, Nagpur Collector Vipin Itankar stated that officials are in contact with the Indian Embassy in Italy to coordinate the repatriation of the bodies. District officials have also visited the home of the deceased.
Indian Embassy providing assistance
The Indian Embassy in Italy conveyed condolences for the Nagpur couple's deaths and said it is providing assistance to their family.
In a social media post on X, the Embassy said, "The Embassy conveys its heartfelt and sincere condolences for the tragic loss of two Indian nationals from Nagpur in an accident near Grosseto. Our prayers for the speedy recovery of the injured family members who are undergoing treatment. The Embassy is in contact with the family and local Italian authorities. We are providing all assistance to the family."
According to media reports, the Nagpur couple were among three people killed in the accident that involved a van and a minibus. It is understood that the collision took place after a truck rammed the broken-down van. The minibus driver and the couple died on the spot.
Jazel dialled the local helpline number when he regained consciousness after the crash. However, the help arrived late for the victims. The injured were eventually retrieved from the wrecked vehicles by two fire department teams, reported Italien.
