7 dead as Innova rams into devotees in Gujarat’s Aravalli

The officials said that the devotees were from Dahod and had intended to travel to Ambaji temple for the Bhadarvi Poonam fair starting from September 5.

The victims, who were traveling in a group of 40 to 45, had left their home in Dahod on August 31.

“Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel has expressed his deepest condolences to the families of the pedestrian devotees killed in a road accident in Malpur of Aravalli while they were headed towards Ambaji,” read a statement from the Chief Minister’s office.

“CM Patel has announced an ex gratia relief of Rs 4 lakh for each deceased from the CM Relief Fund and Rs 50,000 for the injured. He has also informed the Aravalli district collector to provide necessary medical treatment to those injured (sic),” the statement added.

The deceased have been identified as Pankaj Jadhav (23) from Kalol in Panchamahal, Prakash Rathod (24) from Kalol in Panchmahal, Sanjay Kumar Bhilwad (21) from Limkheda in Dahod, Apsinh Baria (27) from Limkheda in Dahod, Vikrambhai Ad (26) from Zalod in Dahod, Suresh Bamania (14) from Aravalli and one unidentified person.

The injured have been identified as Khumansinh Parmar, Rohit Kumar Rathod, Atul Kumar Parmar, Dharmedrasinh Chauhan and Shailesh Nat.

“We had left with a chariot of Amba Goddess from our village Valundi and nearby villages in Dahod, travelling on foot in a group of 40-45 devotees,” said Maganbhai Bhilwad, a resident of Valundi in Dahod, who was among those injured.

“On August 2 morning, we were walking at the roadside of the four-lane highway from Lunawada to Malpur, when a speeding Innova car hit our group and kept speeding forward, mowing down at least a dozen of us. The car finally stopped when it hit a pillar at the highway roadside,” he added.

The driver of the Innova car has been identified as Hemantbhai from Mumbai, police said, adding he was apparently travelling towards Udaipur in Rajasthan. He is also admitted to the Himmatnagar Civil Hospital after receiving injuries in the crash with a pillar.

Based on a written complaint by Bhilwad, he has been booked at the Meghraj Police Station under Sections 304A for causing death due to negligence, 279 for rash driving and 338 for causing grievous hurt of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

“The car driver had allegedly dozed off while driving and hit a group of pedestrian devotees. The car had finally stopped after it struck a pole at the highway roadside,” said a senior police official of Aravalli.

“We are checking the CCTV footages for further investigation and all assistance is being provided to the needy,” he added.

What is the Bhadarvi Poonam Fair?

Celebrated every year during the monsoon season, the Bhadarvi Poonam fair is observed for a week at the famous Ambaji temple in Ambaji taluka of Banaskantha. Every year, lakhs of devotees from all across Gujarat and neighbouring Rajasthan reach Ambaji temple by walking on foot as part of the customs.

Bhadarvi Poonam fair is going to be held from September 5 to 10 at Ambaji temple in Banaskantha where several lakh devotees are expected to arrive at the temple walking on foot.

The devotees usually walk through the hilly areas of Banaskantha to reach Ambaji temple.

According to police, over 7,000 police personnel will be deployed on duty along with teams of the NDRF, SDRF, health, fire and local administration for the bandobast.

The police will also be monitoring the religious procession using drone and CCTV cameras.