A fatal road crash in the Nikol locality of Ahmedabad claimed the lives of a roadside vendor and her teenage son after an out-of-control Fortuner SUV mounted the pavement. The collision took place near Devashya School, where 30-year-old Poonamben Nagwadia and her 15-year-old son Sagar Nagwadia were selling sofa covers to earn a living during the Diwali festive season. The impact of the speeding vehicle was so intense that both mother and son died at the scene before any medical help could arrive, turning festive activity in the neighbourhood into grief.
Shoppers Injured as Vehicle Rams Pedestrians
The runaway SUV did not stop after hitting the vendors; it also struck customers standing by the roadside stall. Thirty-four-year-old Kartik Vasoya and his wife Snehalben, who were inspecting goods on the pavement at that moment, suffered severe injuries in the collision. Both victims were found bleeding heavily at the spot and were immediately transferred to a nearby hospital for urgent medical care. Eyewitness accounts indicated that the driver abruptly lost complete control of the steering, causing the vehicle to veer sharply off the carriageway and ram directly into the people standing on the pedestrian path.
Six Cans of Beer Found Inside the SUV
Following the crash, law enforcement authorities intervened promptly and arrested the driver, identified as 36-year-old Viral Bhai Savjibhai Choudhary. A detailed search of the impounded Fortuner uncovered six sealed cans of beer inside the cabin. To formally establish whether the driver was operating the vehicle under the influence of alcohol and to determine the exact blood alcohol concentration at the time of the impact, police officials directed a comprehensive medical examination of the accused.
Charges Invoked Under Penal Code and Prohibition Act
Police investigators have booked the driver under several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including charges related to culpable homicide not amounting to murder, rash driving, and causing grievous hurt. Specific provisions under the Motor Vehicles Act concerning dangerous driving and operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated have also been registered against him. Because the state maintains strict anti-alcohol laws, an additional case under the Gujarat Prohibition Act was registered at the Nikol police station. Investigators are currently reviewing surveillance footage from roadside cameras, securing physical evidence from the collision point, and awaiting forensic reports to complete the investigation.
