A Nagpur hotelier and his wife died in a road accident on the last day of their vacation in Italy on October 2, while their children were injured, one of whom is in a critical condition, officials and kin said on Saturday.
Javed Akhtar (57), his wife Nadra, daughters Arzoo (22) and Shifa (18) as well as son Jazel (15), all residents of Civil Lines in Nagpur, were on a 10-day tour of Italy and France, their kin Iqbal Azmi, also a retired deputy superintendent of police, told PTI.
"Their 9-seater taxi collided with a vehicle in Grosetto (in Tuscany) on the morning of October 2. Javed and Nadra died, while Arzoo is critically injured. She has undergone an operation and is currently in an unconscious state. Shifa and Jazel also sustained injuries," Azmi said.
"We spoke over video call with Shifa. Two of our relatives have left for Italy. The Maharashtra administration and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis are helping us with the needful. The family owns the Gulshan Plaza hotel in Nagpur. It was the last day of their tour," he added.
Nagpur collector Vipin Itankar, confirming the developments, said officials are in touch with the Indian embassy in Italy as part of efforts to get the bodies back.
District officials visited the home of the deceased here, Itankar added.
The tragedy has left the hotel fraternity here in pain and sorrow, Vijay Chourasia, who owns Hotel Status, which is next to Akhtar's establishment, told PTI.
"We came to know about the incident just yesterday," Chourasia added.