Hit-and-run suspect held in Vadodara after four months

Vadodara: A suspect in a hit-and-run case has been arrested by Vadodara Police, four months after the fatal incident.

The accused, who fled the scene following the accident, was traced and apprehended through technical surveillance and human intelligence.

The accident occurred on June 17 this year, on SG Highway near Rajpath Club, where Jaysukhbhai Vaghela (51) and his wife Rakshaben Vaghela (48) were hit by an unidentified speeding vehicle while crossing the road.

Jaysukhbhai succumbed to his injuries, while Rakshaben was hospitalised with severe head and body injuries. The driver responsible for the incident fled immediately, evading initial detection.

Vadodara’s Traffic Police launched a thorough investigation, reviewing 80 CCTV footage from surrounding areas to identify the vehicle and its driver.

Although no footage was available from the immediate accident site, cameras further away captured a suspicious motorcycle, leading investigators to the culprit.

Four months after the case was filed, the police located the motorcycle and arrested the suspect, bringing relief to the victims’ family. The case highlights the persistence and technological resources employed by the Vadodara Police to solve this complex case.

The authorities have now handed over the accused to the judicial system for further proceedings.

Hit-and-run accidents in Gujarat have claimed more than 3,400 lives over the past years, with a rise in such cases reported annually.

The Gujarat Assembly was informed in 2023 that 4,860 hit-and-run incidents occurred between 2020-21 and 2022-23, resulting in 3,449 fatalities and leaving 2,720 people injured.

The data, tabled during the ongoing session, shows a steady increase in accidents and the resulting deaths. In 2020-21, 1,499 hit-and-run cases were reported, causing 1,069 deaths. The numbers rose in 2021-22 to 1,591 cases and 1,158 deaths and further escalated in 2022-23, with 1,770 cases resulting in 1,222 fatalities.

Ahmedabad district recorded the highest toll, with 329 deaths over the three years.

–IANS