‘Who knew his trip would turn tragic’: City mourns Goa death

Bhopal: Residents of F-Sector in Sundar Nagar, Ashoka Garden, are in shock after the death of their long-time neighbour, 65-year-old Bhagat Ram Sharma, in a road accident in Goa.Sharma lived in the locality for over 4 decades before shifting to Samardha in the Misrod area 3 to 4 years ago. But he frequently visited his old house, and maintained close ties with neighbours.When TOI visited the area, residents spoke of him as a family member. Manju Tanwar, a neighbour, said, "He visited here just 8 days ago with his wife. They came on a bike." She added that she called Sharma's wife, Leela, on Wednesday morning, only to be informed about the accident. "Leela suffered serious spinal injuries and is undergoing treatment. We are all devastated," Tanwar said. Sharma is survived by his wife and 3 children — daughters Deepika and Ruchika, and son Atul — all of whom work in IT in Delhi. Neighbours said the family planned a trip to Goa to celebrate Ruchika's birthday. "Who knew such a tragedy would strike? It is nothing short of a miracle that Ruchika's infant daughter survived the crash without any major injury," Tanwar said.Another neighbour, Arti Dubey, who earlier lived on rent in Sharma's house, said, "Our bond was such that he would walk into our kitchen and eat without any formality." She added, "His good days had just began. His son settled into a job and he was thinking of buying a Thar. Who knew that an accident involving a Thar would take his life?" she said.