Shepherd's throat cut as billhook snags on rickshaw in Rajkot

RAJKOT: A 51-year-old shepherd was killed in a freak accident involving a long-handled billhook at about 3.45pm on Monday on Rajkot-Bhavnagar Road.

Sangram Sadmiya was out grazing his sheep and goats and had stopped near a factory in the GIDC estate to enable them to drink water. He had the billhook resting on his shoulders, when a loading rickshaw from Amul Industries was passing by. The handle snagged on the back of the rickshaw, causing the sharp end to pull forward violently and cut his throat. Sadmiya was even dragged for a few feet before the driver hit the brakes.

An ambulance was called to the spot, but paramedics declared Sadmiya dead on the spot. The victim's 28-year-old son, Vishnu, lodged a complaint against the rickshaw driver at Thorala police station under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections dealing with rash driving, causing death by a negligent act and for offences under the Motor Vehicles Act.

The accident was captured on a nearby CCTV camera. Vishnu told police that his family makes a living from animal husbandry and his parents had left home at 10am to graze the animals. Sangram was carrying a billhook, which shepherds use to cut branches.

Police are investigating the matter further.

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