‘Shocking news’: pub crash victims named

Pratibha Sharma, her nine-year-old daughter Anvi, and her partner Jatin, 30, were killed alongside two members of the Bhatia family, father Vivek, 38, and his son Vihaan, 11, when a white BMW X5 crashed into the busy venue and hit customers sitting outside just after 6pm.

Mr Bhatia’s wife Ruchi, 36 and second son, six-year-old Abeer, were also injured in the horror crash that has left the small Victorian town north of Melbourne in a state of shock and grief.

Australia’s Indian community is in mourning following their deaths, with multiple people taking to social media to express their grief.

“Very shocking news, one of friends and our Australian Sikh Support dedicated volunteer Pratibha Sharma from Melbourne, her husband Jatin, their daughter Anvi and their two friends, died in an unfortunate accident,” Daljeet Bakshi wrote.

“Pratibha always along with her family members have worked tirelessly for volunteer initiatives for the community.”

Meera Sharma said it was a “big loss for our community”.

“Very shocking and saddened to hear about Pratibha Sharma, her husband Jatin Chugh, their daughter Anvi, another Indian community member, Vivek Bhatia and his son’s demise in Daylesford’s tragic car crash,” Tanvi Mor wrote.

“May the departed souls rest in peace. Om Shanti”.

In June, Ms Sharma was admitted as a lawyer in the Supreme Court of Victoria.

Posting to social media to celebrate the achievement, she paid special tribute to her daughter.

“I am proud and humble to announce that with the blessings of my family and friends today I admitted as a Lawyer in Supreme Court Of Victoria. I will like to thank you everyone for this achievement … specially my daughter ANVI who is always been the biggest motivation for me. Stay positive that’s me … Proud Mommy Proud daughter,” she said.

Ms Sharma expressed great love for her daughter on social media.

In February to celebrate her daughter’s birthday, she wrote online: “Can’t express my love and feelings in words. You make me complete.”

Ruchi and Abeer were flown to the Royal Melbourne Hospital and the Royal Children’s Hospital with serious injuries after the crash.

The family are from Tarneit in Melbourne’s outer west.

The Sharma family was from Point Cook, near Tarneit.

Several others suffered injuries when the a white BMW X5 crashed into the busy venue and hit customers sitting outside just after 6pm.

A 43-year-old Kyneton woman and a 38-year-old Cockatoo man were injured, the police said.

“It’s believed they are known to each other however police are still establishing how they are linked,” a police spokesman said on Monday afternoon.

Both were flown to Royal Melbourne Hospital.

An 11-month-old baby boy with the pair was also injured.

He was taken by road to Ballarat Base Hospital and has since been transferred to the Royal Children’s Hospital.

The baby’s mother, a 34-year-old woman from Cockatoo, was not injured.

The driver, a 66-year-old Mount Macedon man, will likely remain in hospital overnight and the police expect to interview him on Tuesday.

More than a hundred people gathered at a park in Daylesford for an emotional vigil on Monday.

Federal MP Catherine King, state MP Mary-Anne Thomas and emergency services personnel all attended along with shell-shocked community members trying to process the trauma of the event.

Hepburn Shire Council organised the public vigil and Mayor Brian Hood said there was “grief and sadness” in the crowd.

“There was no anger, people were terribly grateful for the job the emergency services do,” he said.

“They were supporting each other.”

Originally published as Indian community mourns the loss of five beloved members