Indian-origin woman 6th to die in Australia car rampage

Bhavita Patel, who worked as a director at a global accounting firm in Melbourne, died in hospital on January 20 after her family decided to turn off her life support following the fatal accident. Doctors tried to save Patel, but her condition did not improve and she lay unresponsive in hospital, a media report said.

Patel was walking back to her office when she was mowed down by a speeding car which rammed into several pedestrians on the Bourke street here, killing five people, including two children, on the spot and injuring 31 others.

Victoria's police chief commissioner Graham Ashton has confirmed that the driver of the vehicle, who was out on bail and had a drug-related history, "intentionally" ploughed into pedestrians. "My parents and I are broken. But we all appreciate the love we're getting from people," Mitesh, Patel's brother, was quoted as saying by the Herald Sun.

Patel attended Australian National University in Canberra and worked as an accountant and adviser for the federal government before moving to Melbourne to work with Deloitte. Deloitte Australia chief executive Cindy Hook paid tribute to Patel as an "outstanding" member of the company's national advisory team. "We are deeply saddened by the passing of our colleague, Bhavita Patel," Hook said.Nine patients still remain in hospital and one is still in critical condition, police said.

Dimitrious Gargasoulas, the 26-year-old man accused of driving the car, has been charged with five counts of murder. He has been remanded in custody and ordered to face court via video link in August.

Another Indian woman is battling for her life in this incident. a techie from Mysore, residing in Melbourne with her husband and her 8-month-old baby, has been admitted in the Alfred Hospital. She was going back to her work after feeding her baby at a day care centre in Melbourne. It was then that Dimitrious’s car ran over her and several other pedestrians.

• Bourke Street Tragedy
• Dimitrious Gargasoulas
• Melbourne
• Australia road accident
• Deloitte