Gujarat: One killed, 11 injured as speeding Scorpio hits Ambaji-bound group in Sabarkantha

Twelve pilgrims on their way to the Ambaji temple were injured after a speeding Scorpio rammed into them near Dolgarh Patiya on the Himmatnagar-Idar highway late on Monday evening, police said.

The victims were walking as part of a padyatra to the shrine for the annual Bhadarvi Poonam fair, which attracts lakhs of devotees from across Gujarat.

Also read | 3 students killed, 1 critical as BMW plunges 75 feet from coastal road after night out

Sabarkantha superintendent of police (SP) Parthrajsinh Gohil said the driver breached a police checkpoint on the highway, ignoring signals from a Gujarat Rakshak Dal (GRD) jawan to stop, and ploughed into the group.

The driver fled the scene immediately after the crash, sparking intense anger among nearby locals and fellow pilgrims, who set the vehicle on fire.

Gohil said the driver was later tracked down and taken into custody. “The driver is a resident of Himmatnagar. Further investigation is underway,” he added.

Senior officials, including the SP and local police personnel, rushed to the spot along with fire tenders.

Also read | BMW mangled, debris on road: Video shows aftermath of Mumbai crash that killed 3

The injured were rushed to the Civil Hospital in Himmatnagar.

Dr KB Parmar, medical officer at the hospital, said 12 victims were being treated, with one critically injured person shifted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Two other victims were moved to private facilities by their families.

Police identified the injured pilgrims as residents of Nana Chekhla, Danotra, and Kanji Pani villages in Panchmahal district, and Ukedina Muvada in Kheda district.