Mercedes hit-and-run: Policeman’s son arrested week after star footballer was left critical

In a significant development in the SG Highway hit-and-run case that left 23-year-old national-level footballer Andre Rahul Bhatia battling for his life, the Ahmedabad Rural Police have arrested the accused, a week after the incident. The arrest was made by the SG-1 Police on Wednesday.

The accused has been identified as Vijaybhai Vaghajibhai Rabari, 29, a resident of Hariom Society in Dholka and the son of a serving constable with Ahmedabad Rural Police. According to investigators, Rabari was behind the wheel of the speeding white Mercedes-Benz model C220d that mowed down Andre Rahul on May 14 and fled the scene.

The delay in arresting Rabari, despite CCTV footage clearly showing the vehicle and its registration number, has sparked a flurry of questions. Among them– Why did it take a week to trace and apprehend the driver? And perhaps most importantly, was the accused intoxicated at the time of the crash? That, police now admit, is something that may never be conclusively established.

According to sources, Rabari was apprehended only after sustained public pressure and media scrutiny. The police have claimed that they were verifying technical details.

Andre Rahul, a promising midfielder who once represented Gujarat in the Santosh Trophy and played in several prestigious tournaments, is currently in the ICU at a private hospital. His family has expressed deep frustration over the pace of the investigation.