Nagpur Hotelier Javed Akhtar and Wife Killed in Italy Road Accident; Children Hospitalized In Critical Condition

Reputed Nagpur hotelier Javed Akhtar (57), owner of Gulshan Plaza in Sitabuldi, and his wife Nadira lost their lives in a tragic road accident near Grosseto in Italy’s Tuscany region on Thursday morning. Their children — Arzoo, Zezel, and Shifa — sustained critical injuries and are battling for their lives.

The family’s European holiday, which began on September 22 and covered France and Italy, ended in devastation. Relatives in Nagpur are making desperate efforts to bring the deceased and the injured back home. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has intervened, coordinating with the Indian Embassy in Rome to expedite the repatriation of Javed and Nadira’s bodies and ensure medical support for their children. Nagpur District Collector Vipin Itankar has also reached out to the embassy to assist with legal procedures and aid the survivors.

The accident occurred around 9 a.m. on the Aurelia state highway, as the family’s nine-seater tourist minibus — carrying a group of Asian travellers — was heading toward a final sightseeing stop in Tuscany. A broken-down van being pushed to the roadside was struck by a truck, setting off a chain collision that involved the Akhtars’ vehicle. Javed, Nadira, and the bus driver died on the spot, while the minibus was left mangled.

According to Italian media, Arzoo (25) is in critical condition with severe head injuries at Siena’s Le Scotte Hospital, while Zezel (15) and Shifa (21) are undergoing treatment in Grosseto and Florence hospitals, respectively.