Melbourne
Police are yet to determine whether charges will be filed against the driver involved in a devastating car crash that claimed the lives of five Indian-origin individuals in Australia. The tragic incident occurred when a 66-year-old man drove his SUV into the beer garden of the Royal Daylesford Hotel in Victoria on November 5, impacting 10 people from three families gathered to celebrate their weekend. At a coronial hearing on Wednesday, the Victoria police’s major collision investigation unit (MCIU) indicated that the investigation is still in its early stages, with no charges laid against the driver as of now. Detective Sergeant Peter Romanis from Victoria Police highlighted that it’s currently impossible to estimate the timeline for determining potential charges. The MCIU is investigating the role of the driver’s medical condition, diabetes, in the collision. The driver, described as an ‘insulin-dependent diabetic,’ was admitted to medical care post-collision and was questioned by the police on November 7. Authorities confirmed that the driver had no alcohol in his system and was released after questioning. Romanis informed the coroner that approximately 140 witnesses have been contacted so far as part of the ongoing investigation. Martin Amad, the driver’s lawyer, emphasized that his client is a family man with no criminal history and expressed deep distress over the incident. Amad stated, He feels great empathy with the families and friends of the victims and the Daylesford community. The victims of the crash included Vivek Bhatia (38), his son Vihan (11), Pratibha Sharma (44), her daughter Anvi (nine), and her partner Jatin Chugh (30). Anvi’s body will be released to her biological father, as confirmed by the police. Five others, including Ruchi Bhatia (36), younger son Abeer (six), and an 11-month-old child, were hospitalized for treatment of injuries.
