Tragic End to European Vacation: Nagpur Hotelier and Wife Killed in Italy Road Accident

A vacation to Europe ended in tragedy for an Indian family on Thursday when a businessman and his wife lost their lives in a road accident in Italy. The deceased have been identified as Javed Akhtar, a prominent hotelier from Nagpur, and his wife Nadira Gulshan. The Indian Embassy in Italy has verified the fatalities and stated they are in communication with both the family in India and local authorities.

Javed Akhtar, aged 55, was a well-known hotelier and entrepreneur from Nagpur, Maharashtra. He was traveling with his 47-year-old wife Gulshan and their three children - daughters Arzoo (21) and Shifa Akhtar, along with son Jazel Akhtar - when the accident occurred on the Aurelia Highway near Grosseto.

The family is the proprietor of Gulshan Plaza hotel, located near the Sitabuldi flyover in Nagpur.

According to reports, the family began their holiday in France on September 22 before traveling to Italy. The accident happened as they were en route to a sightseeing destination in a nine-seater minibus.

The Nagpur couple were among three fatalities in an accident involving a van and a minibus carrying tourists of Asian descent, according to local reports. The collision reportedly occurred when a truck crashed into a broken-down van. The minibus driver and the couple died instantly at the scene.

Their daughter Arzoo sustained serious head injuries in the accident. She is currently hospitalized at Lee Scott hospital in Siena in critical condition, while her siblings Shifa and Jazel are receiving treatment at hospitals in Florence and Grosseto respectively.

After regaining consciousness following the crash, Jazel called the local emergency number requesting assistance. Italien.News, a local news outlet, reported that emergency services were delayed in reaching the victims. The injured were eventually extracted from the damaged vehicles by two fire department teams. Due to the gravity of the injuries, rescue helicopters were deployed to transport them to hospitals.

The Indian embassy in Italy expressed condolences for the deaths of the Nagpur couple and confirmed it is providing support to their family.

"The Embassy conveys its heartfelt and sincere condolences for the tragic loss of two Indian nationals from Nagpur in an accident near Grosseto. Our prayers for the speedy recovery of the injured family members who are undergoing treatment. The Embassy is in contact with the family and local Italian authorities. We are providing all assistance to the family," the embassy stated on X.