Updated: 7:47am – A 40-year-old woman is grieving the death of her husband after he tragically died in a road accident in Davuilevu, Nausori at 6.15am Thursday Morning.
Dead is Sarwan Singh, 39, a taxi driver from Nasinu Road, Valelevu. His taxi collided into an on-coming bus heading for Suva and laden with workers and students . He died on the spot. All passengers in the bus were not injured.
Shila Wati fought back tears when met The News team shortly after the incident. She looked lost. She appeared confused. Finally the words came.
She could not understand the circumstances leading to the death of her husband. Her in-laws had the unenviable task of breaking the news to her.
Dead is Sarwan Singh, 39, a taxi driver from Nasinu Road, Valelevu. His taxi collided into an on-coming bus heading for Suva and laden with workers and students . He died on the spot.
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Deceased Taxi Driver Sarwan Singh
“I received the news this morning. I was told it was on Facebook. I did not realise that this was true. I was told there was no name of the driver of the grey taxi involved.
“I had just returned from dropping off my daughter at Rishikul Primary School, Valelevu. She’s in Year Four. I was informed when I got home,” Ms Wati said.
Her daughter was later picked up from school after the family received the full, confirmed news.
At that stage, it was very difficult for them to receive the reality of what had transpired a few hours earlier.
Ms Wati appeared to be groping for a sequence of events since day break. She knew for a fact that she had pleaded with her husband not to go out and drive the night before.
“When we had that conversation, I had a bad feeling,” Ms Wati said.
“I have been telling him not to drive the taxi. My heart was telling me for him not to. And, he didn’t listen to me. So I didn’t say anything.
“He was a good man. Just yesterday (Wednesday) afternoon we had to buy some groceries. He dropped me off at Shop n Save. That was the last time I spoke to him. We didn’t get in touch yesterday (Wednesday) nor this morning (Thursday).”
At the scene
Time: 6.15am
Eyewitness Waisake Vakalalakoro, 19, said he was walking along the road in Davuilevu when he saw that the taxi cross over to the lane occupied by the on-coming bus. The next he realised was the imminent collision.
Mr Vakalalakoro said the bus driver had alerted the taxi driver that he was on the wrong lane by tooting the bus horn.
But it was too late.
- What remained of the taxi that was involved in yesterday’s accident at Davuilevu , Nausori. Photo: Ronald Kumar
According to Mr Vakalalakoro, before the impact of the accident, a woman who is understood to be a passenger, had jumped out of the taxi.
“The school children and all the people in the bus looked to be safe but we saw the woman who jumped out of the taxi crying,’’ Mr Vakalalakoro said.
“The driver of a private car, another man and I put her in a car and took her to the Nausori Hospital (better known as the Nausori Health Centre).
“And, she was asking: ‘Na noqu friend? Na mequ beer? Vata na noqu BH?”
(My friend? My beer? And my B.H (cigarette)
“I told her the BH we can always buy again but the life of a person you cannot purchase.”
Taxi Owner Iqbal Mohammed said it was just yesterday (Wednesday) morning that he had called the driver asking after his whereabouts.
“The driver said he was coming (to Mr Mohammed’s place). He said he was in Seven Miles. He was expected to drop-off the taxi at my place,’’ Mr Mohammed said.
“But later my uncle alerted me about the accident. I came directly to the scene and found out that the driver was dead and my vehicle was now write-off.
Mr Mohammed said the driver Sarwan, was a good man and was understood to be a safe driver. “I have seen the way he drives. I am just completely shocked about this accident.”
The director of the company that owns the bus, Ritesh Nair, of S. Nair Transport, said he was very concerned about the safety of passengers. He confirmed none of the passengers was injured.
Mr Nair said the bus driver was still shaken by the events. Bus driver Alvin Maharaj, 26, said that when the accident happened the only thing on his mind were the passengers. He quickly checked on the passengers.
“The bus was full and it was my first trip in the morning, the passengers were not injured,” Mr Majaraj said.Police spokesperson Ana Naisoro confirmed the accident and stated that the female victim was transferred to the CWM hospital yesterday.
Ms Naisoro said investigations were under way.
-Fiji Sun
Featured image: Deceased taxi driver Sarwan Singh’s wife Shila Wati,40, and daughter Radha Priya at their home in Nasinu Road, Valelevu yesterday. Photo: LOSIRENE LACANIVALU.
