A 21-year-old moped rider suffered minor injuries after a car allegedly driven by an intoxicated driver hit him near Himalaya Mall on Ahmedabad’s Drive-In Road and dragged the moped for about one kilometre, according to Gujarat Samachar. Traffic police registered a case and arrested the driver after local residents and other motorists pursued and stopped the vehicle near Vastrapur Lake.
The incident occurred on the night of October 15 at the three-road signal near Himalaya Mall. The moped rider, identified as 21-year-old Nakshatra Chauhan, was returning home to Vasna after work as a salesman and was waiting at the signal when the taxi-passing car struck him from behind at high speed, the report said.
The collision threw Chauhan onto the road, while his moped became trapped beneath the front of the car. Instead of stopping, the driver allegedly continued driving, dragging the moped along the road. Sparks were reportedly seen coming from the vehicle as it travelled for approximately one kilometre.
The route followed by the car reportedly included a U-turn near Sanjivani Hospital in Vastrapur, the Doordarshan intersection and the area around NFD Circle. The moped became dislodged after the car crossed a bump near a road cut. Residents and other road users continued following the vehicle and eventually surrounded it near Vastrapur Lake before handing the driver over to police.
The rider was reported to have escaped with minor injuries. The incident nevertheless involved a prolonged collision on a busy city road, with the trapped two-wheeler remaining beneath the car as the driver attempted to leave the area. The report did not provide details of the vehicle’s speed, the rider’s medical treatment or whether other road users were injured.
The driver was identified during police questioning as 29-year-old Pankajkumar Nanoma, originally from Rajasthan. Gujarat Samachar reported that he was found to be under the influence of alcohol when he was detained. The ‘A’ Division Traffic Police registered an offence, arrested him and began further legal investigation.
The case places immediate attention on the risks created when a collision is followed by an attempt to flee rather than stop and assist the injured. The traffic police investigation will establish the precise circumstances of the crash and the charges applicable to the driver. Further legal action will follow the investigation and questioning, according to the report.
