The past seven days have thrown a harsh spotlight on road safety in Gujarat with three high-profile cases of rash driving, all involving excessive speed in Ahmedabad.
First, Tathya Patel, the youth driving a Jaguar allegedly mowed down nine pedestrians on the ISKCON flyover on June 20.
Patel has also been accused of slamming the same Jaguar into a temple pillar in Vansajada village in Gandhinagar on earlier on January 1.
The police station subsequently booked Patel under sections 279 (rash driving) and 427 (committing mischief causing monetary loss) of the Indian Penal Code, and under provisions of the Motor Vehicle Act.
Next, Ahmedabad Police apprehended Kamlesh Tulsibhai Bishnoi, a resident of the city’s CTM area.
Bishnoi, 40, was charged under section 185 of the Motor Vehicle Act and section 66(1)(b) of the Prohibition Act for drunk driving without a valid permit.
According to police, Bishnoi, clearly under the influence of alcohol, was dangerously maneuvering his BMW car, prompting local residents to detain him before the authorities arrived.
The third instance involved a distressing video that circulated online on July 26, showing police brutally beating two men pleading for mercy.
It was later revealed that the two men had been arrested for alleged rash driving while under the influence of alcohol in Ahmedabad.
The most prominent among them was Kedar Dave, 25, who, along with three friends, was allegedly drinking in his car before it overturned in Ahmedabad’s Maninagar.
These incidents occurred in the wake of a horrific accident on Sarkhej-Gandhinagar (SG) Highway on July 20, when a luxury car plowed into a group of onlookers at a crash site, killing nine.
The Gujarat High Court has since criticised the traffic police for weak enforcement of road laws, granting them until August 9 to take effective action.
Deaths on SG Highway, Ahmedabad
The ‘notorious’ SG Highway, known for its high accident rate, has claimed 23 lives in the first seven months of this year alone.
Data from SG Traffic-1 Police Station shows an increase in traffic crimes from 11 incidents in 2022, resulting in one death and 10 injuries, to 19 incidents this year (up to July 20) leading to 11 deaths and eight injuries.
Likewise, SG Traffic-2 Police Station reported a rise from 36 accidents in 2022, causing nine deaths and 27 injuries, to 26 incidents in 2023 (up to July 20), causing 12 deaths and 14 injuries.
Ahmedabad Police’s safety drive
In the aftermath of the tragic ISKCON bridge accident that resulted in the loss of nine lives, Ahmedabad’s City Police Commissioner initiated a special enforcement drive.
This involved the setting up of barricades and checkpoints in the vicinity of every police station across the city.
The action was taken in response to the Gujarat High Court’s stern criticism of the Ahmedabad traffic police for their apparent lack of resolve and courage in enforcing traffic regulations.