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.
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). 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. The driver fled the scene immediately after the crash, sparking intense anger among nearby locals and fellow pilgrims, who set the vehicle on fire. “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. The injured were rushed to the Civil Hospital in Himmatnagar. 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.
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. Gohil said the driver was later tracked down and taken into custody.
