The tragic Fatehwadi Canal accident has brought forth some shocking details. Police investigations have confirmed that two of the victims were minors, including the one who was driving the vehicle when it plunged into the canal. 

On Friday morning around 10.45 am, the body of the third victim, Krish Dave, was recovered from the canal by Ahmedabad Fire and Emergency Department.

In an attempt to shoot reels, three young men drove a rented Scorpio car to the canal, which ultimately led to deaths of three.

The first body recovered from the canal, which falls under the jurisdiction of Vejalpur police, was that of 17-year-old Yaksh Bhankodiya. According to sources, Yaksh was initially driving the vehicle, but handed over control to 17-year-old Yash Solanki moments before the accident. Hours later, Yash’s body was also recovered by officials from Vasna police jurisdiction. However, search operations were underway for Krish Dave (19), the third occupant of the vehicle, who remains untraceable.

Car without commercial numberplate

During the preliminary investigation, police found that the Scorpio car belonged to Saurav Gupta, a tour and travel agency owner based near Himalaya Mall. Gupta had rented the Scorpio, a private vehicle.

On Wednesday evening, Maulik Jaleria, a friend of Gupta, rented the Scorpio car for six hours, stating that he needed it for a temple visit. However, instead of a religious trip, Maulik, along with Uday Vyanta (New Vasna) and Dhruv Solanki (Vejalpur), took the vehicle to Canal Road, where they met their friends Viraj Singh Rathod (Paldi), Yaksh Bhankodiya (Ambawadi), Yash Solanki (Ambawadi), and Krish Dave (Paldi).

Yaksh then took over the vehicle and drove the car along Vasna Barrage Road, intending to record reels. Moments later, he let Yash take the wheel. Yash’s inexperience came to the fore when he pressed the accelerator instead of the brake, causing the vehicle to plunge into the canal.

Police to take action against those involved

Shivam Varma, DCP Zone 7, confirmed that an investigation is underway to determine how the minors accessed a rental vehicle. "We will register a case under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Motor Vehicles Act. Additionally, we are investigating how a private vehicle was being illegally used for commercial rental purposes," he stated.

Officials have confirmed that a case will be registered against those responsible for providing the vehicle, particularly for negligence in allowing minors to drive. The owner of the Scorpio will also be interrogated regarding the unauthorised use of a private vehicle for commercial rental.

CCTV cameras installed just 2 days before incident 

Interestingly, just two days before the accident, the police had begun installing CCTV cameras along the Vasna Canal stretch. Four solar-powered cameras, equipped with motion and voice detection sensors, captured the entire sequence of events, providing crucial footage for the investigation.

A senior police official stated, "The newly installed cameras played a vital role in understanding how the accident occurred. We plan to install 15 more such cameras across Vasna jurisdiction for enhanced surveillance."

Constable risked life for rescue attempt 

At approximately 5.45 pm, a police control room (PCR) patrol van was in the vicinity of Vasna Canal when locals alerted them to the accident. Without hesitation, the police rushed to the scene.

Police Sub-Inspector H M Gohil, along with Constable Manojbhai Vinodbhai and his team, arrived at the spot. Manojbhai, who is a skilled swimmer, bravely jumped into the canal with a rope in an attempt to rescue the victims. However, by then, two of the victims had already been swept away by the strong currents.

Thinking that one of them might still be trapped inside the car, the officers broke the vehicle’s window but found it empty.

In 2024, Manoj had resued a women from drowing in Sabarmati river near Ambedkar bridge area. In the incident, a family of four including a woman named Heena, her 5-year-old kid, mother and brother had tried to die by suicide. Manoj who was passing by the area saw them and jumped into the river and rescued the woman, while the rest of family members were rescued by locals.

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Attempt to shoot reel turns tragic: Scorpio plunges into Fatehwadi Canal, 2 dead, 1 missing