Tea stall owner killed, 11 injured as SUV ‘runs into’ pilgrims, pedestrians in Gujarat, crowd sets vehicle ablaze

Police identified the deceased as Bharat Vaghela, who had set up a roadside stall along the highway to cater to the pilgrims walking to the temple. (Video screen grab)

A CROWD allegedly set an SUV ablaze after it allegedly ran into a group of pilgrims, the impact killing a tea stall owner and injuring 11 other persons headed on foot to the Ambaji temple in Sabarkantha near Himmatnagar, police said on Monday. The driver of the SUV was detained and was being interrogated, police said.

The incident took place near Dolgadh, just 11 km north of Himmatnagar, the district headquarters of Sabarkantha. The village is on the state highway way to Ambaji town, which lies a further 93 km to the north and is a popular pilgrimage destination that sees several devotees make the trip on foot for the Bhadarvi Poonam fair, which is organised from September 20-26.

Police identified the deceased as Bharat Vaghela, who had set up a roadside stall along the highway to cater to the pilgrims walking to the temple.

Sabarkantha Superintendent of Police (SP) Parthrajsinh Gohil said, “The incident took place at 6:30 pm near Dolgadh outside Himmatnagar. As many as 11 persons, including pilgrims and local residents and volunteers, were injured and have been admitted to GMERS Himmatnagar Civil Hospital.”

“The SUV driver is being interrogated regarding the circumstances of the incident. Some local residents have alleged that the driver, who is also a local resident, made a U-turn around the road and drove at high speed towards the people, causing the accident,” SP Gohil told The Indian Express. The SP also said that some in the crowd “manhandled the driver and set fire to the SUV.”

Further investigation is underway, police said.

Brendan Dabhi works with The Indian Express, focusing his comprehensive reporting primarily on Gujarat. He covers the region's most critical social, legal, and administrative sectors, notably specializing at the intersection of health, social justice, and disasters. Expertise Health and Public Policy: He has deep expertise in healthcare issues, including rare diseases, Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), the complex logistics of organ transplants, and public health challenges like drug-resistant TB and heat health surveillance. His on-ground reporting during the COVID-19 pandemic and Mucormycosis was critical in exposing healthcare challenges faced by marginalized communities in Gujarat. Social Justice and Legal Administration: He reports on the functioning of the legal and police system, including the impact of judicial philosophy, forensics and crucial administrative reforms (. He covers major surveillance and crackdown exercises by the Gujarat police and security on the international border. Disaster and Crisis Management: His work closely tracks how government and civic bodies respond to large-scale crises, providing essential coverage on the human and administrative fallout of disasters including cyclones, floods, conflict, major fires and reported extensively on the AI 171 crash in Ahmedabad. Civic Infrastructure and Governance: Provides timely reports on critical civic failures,  including large scale infrastructure projects by the railways and civic bodies, as well as  the enforcement of municipal regulations and their impact on residents and heritage. ... Read More

Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram