Truck driver, who ‘boasted of social media following’, held for attacking cop at inter-state checkpost in Gujarat
Dahod district police said the incident occurred around 1 am at the Khangela inter-state check post, soon after the accused ignored a signal from police to stop
A truck driver was arrested in Gujarat’s Dahod district on Friday for attempting to murder a police inspector while trying to flee an inter-state check post.
Dahod district police said the incident occurred around 1 am at the Khangela inter-state check post, which is a key entry point into Gujarat used to check smuggling, particularly of liquor. When a team from Katvara police station signalled a truck to stop, the driver allegedly ignored the signal and sped away, prompting a police chase.
The police chased the truck for nearly two kilometres before intercepting it. According to officials, the driver initially got into a verbal argument with the police and repeatedly boasted about his large social media following.
When the police attempted to search the vehicle, he allegedly tried to flee on foot and attacked Katvara Police Inspector Umesh Gavit with a stone, causing serious injury to his right eye.
Deputy Superintendent of Police (Dahod Division) Jagdish Bhandari told The Indian Express, “When the driver tried to escape from the Khangela check post, which is a crucial point of vigilance for entry into Gujarat, the police patrol team suspected he was carrying contraband. They chased the truck as per instinct and intercepted it. Initially, the driver began arguing, citing his huge social media following. When the police sought to search the truck, he darted away to escape.”
Bhandari said that as Inspector Gavit chased the accused along with four other personnel, the driver turned back and allegedly pelted a stone at him. “The stone hit him in the eye. There has been injury and primary damage to the right eye. Only after the swelling subsides in a couple of days will it be possible to ascertain whether his vision is intact,” he said.
Police said the truck was found to be carrying only vegetables and no contraband.
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Following the attack, the Dahod police launched a night-long combing operation. Teams from the Local Crime Branch and the Special Operations Group (SOG) arrested the accused from a nearby field where he had been “hiding overnight”.
The accused has been identified as Ankush Hemraj Damor, a native of Jhabua district in Madhya Pradesh. Police said Damor is active on social media and frequently uploads reels showing stunts and issuing challenges.
“In primary questioning, he admitted his mistake but did not explain why he tried to flee,” an officer said. “We checked his social media profile… In one reel, he claims he can drive while drinking. However, in this case, nothing except vegetables was found in the truck. Our preliminary checks also show that he is not wanted in any other criminal case. Further probe is on.”
Damor has been booked for attempt to murder under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and will be produced before a court on Saturday.
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Inspector Gavit, a 2013-batch officer of the Gujarat Police, was promoted to the rank of Police Inspector a few years ago and has been posted as in-charge of Katvara police station for over a year.
Aditi Raja is an Assistant Editor with The Indian Express, stationed in Vadodara, Gujarat, with over 20 years in the field. She has been reporting from the region of Central Gujarat and Narmada district for this newspaper since 2013, which establishes her as a highly Authoritative and Trustworthy source on regional politics, administration, and critical socio-economic and environmental issues.
Expertise:
Core Authority & Specialization: Her reporting is characterized by a comprehensive grasp of the complex factors shaping Central Gujarat, which comprises a vast tribal population, including:
Politics and Administration: In-depth analysis of dynamics within factions of political parties and how it affects the affairs in the region, visits of national leaders making prominent statements, and government policy decisions impacting the population on ground.
Crucial Regional Projects: She consistently reports on the socio-economic and political impact of infrastructure projects in the region, especially the Statue of Unity, the Sardar Sarovar Project on the Narmada River, the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail bullet train project as well as the National Highway infrastructure.
Social Justice and Human Rights: Her reporting offers deep coverage of sensitive human-interest topics, including gender, crime, and tribal issues. Her reports cover legal proceedings from various district courts as well as the Gujarat High Court (e.g., the Bilkis Bano case remission, POCSO court orders, Public Interest Litigations), the plight of tribal communities, and broader social conflicts (e.g., Kheda flogging case).
Local Impact & Disaster Reporting: Excels in documenting the immediate impact of events on communities, such as the political and civic fallout of the Vadodara floods, the subsequent public anger, and the long-delayed river redevelopment projects, Harni Boat Tragedy, Air India crash, bringing out a blend of stories from the investigations as well as human emotions.
Special Interest Beat: She tracks incidents concerning Non-Resident Gujaratis (NRIs) including crime and legal battles abroad, issues of illegal immigration and deportations, as well as social events connecting the local Gujarati experience to the global diaspora. ... Read More
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