One person was killed and 11 others injured after a speeding Scorpio hit a group of people near Dolgarh Patiya on the Himmatnagar-Idar highway late on Monday evening, police said.
The deceased, identified as Mohanbhai, a man in his 30s from Talod taluka, was a volunteer at a seva camp set up for Ambaji pilgrims, Sabarkantha superintendent of police (SP) Parthrajsinh Gohil said.
Seven to eight of the injured were pilgrims walking towards Ambaji as part of a padyatra for the annual Bhadarvi Poonam fair, while the others were volunteers at the seva camp and local residents of Talod taluka, according to Gohil. Such camps are set up along the pilgrimage route to provide food, water, medical assistance and other services to devotees.
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Gohil said the driver did not stop at a police barricade on the highway despite signals from a Gujarat Rakshak Dal (GRD) jawan to stop, and hit the group.
{{/usCountry}}Gohil said the driver did not stop at a police barricade on the highway despite signals from a Gujarat Rakshak Dal (GRD) jawan to stop, and hit the group.
{{/usCountry}}The driver fled the scene after the crash, sparking anger among nearby locals and fellow pilgrims, who set the vehicle on fire.
Police said the driver was later tracked down and detained. The driver was identified as Bharat Patel, a resident of Himmatpura village near the accident site. One side of the highway had been closed for the movement of pilgrims. Since Patel's village is on that side of the highway, he was using the road to reach his village when the accident occurred, Gohil said.
Police also collected Patel's blood samples after suspecting that he may have been driving under the influence of alcohol, Gohil said.
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Senior officials, including the SP and local police personnel, rushed to the spot along with fire tenders.
The injured were rushed to the Civil Hospital in Himmatnagar.
Dr KB Parmar, medical officer at the hospital, said 12 people were brought to the hospital. One injured person was in serious condition and was shifted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Two others were taken to private hospitals, while seven to eight patients underwent CT scans, sonography and X-rays.
The injured were from Nana Chekhla, Danotra and Kanji Pani in Panchmahal district, and Ukedina Muvada in Kheda district.