Speeding car injures 5 in late-night rampage on Rajpath Rangoli Road, driver flees spot

Five people, including two home guards on night patrol, were injured after the driver of a speeding Maruti Suzuki Brezza went on a rampage on the Rajpat Rangoli stretch late on Friday night, police said. The driver, who first rammed into the home guards’ two-wheeler and later hit three more people before crashing into a barricade, fled the spot, leaving the vehicle behind. An FIR has been registered, and a manhunt is under way.

As per the FIR filed by Home Guard Manjur Husain Dani (27), he and fellow Home Guard Tanveer Sheikh were assigned duty at the Rajpath T-Point naka on the night of November 14. After completing job distribution at Sarkhej police station around 11 pm, the two left for their duty point on Manjur Husain’s motorcycle.

Around 12.15 am on November 15, when they were passing in front of 42 Café on Rajpat Rangoli Road, a Maruti Suzuki Brezza (registration number noted by police) allegedly approached at high speed from behind. The driver, described as driving in a reckless manner that endangered their lives, rammed their motorcycle, causing both home guards to fall and be dragged along the road.

Both sustained serious injuries. Manjur suffered a fracture in his right shoulder and injuries to his head, forehead and eyes. Tanveer received multiple injuries across his body and head and was found unconscious. Police personnel stationed at Rajpath T-Point alerted an 108 ambulance, and the injured were taken to Saraswati Hospital in Bopal.

During the preliminary investigation, police found that after fleeing the scene, the driver continued towards Shela, where he hit three more people in separate collisions. The rampage ended only after the Brezza crashed into a barricade, following which the driver abandoned the vehicle and escaped.

Local residents told police that before hitting the home guards, the driver allegedly under the influence had first struck labourers working along the stretch. Eyewitnesses claimed the young man appeared intoxicated and was driving dangerously.

According to Sarkhej police, the incident occurred when a Brezza car driven by Meet Pravin Jani, an MBA student, hit two home guard jawans who were on duty near Rajpath–Rangoli Road. The impact was so severe that the personnel were reportedly dragged for nearly 45 metres before the vehicle came to a halt.

Despite knocking down the home guards and allegedly driving the car over them, the driver attempted to escape. As he sped towards the SP Ring Road, the vehicle hit three labourers standing by the roadside, injuring them as well.

Police said that one of the home guards sustained serious injuries, while the other and the three labourers suffered moderate injuries.

Meet Jani was detained soon after the accident. “We have arrested the driver, Meet Jani. His medical examination has been conducted to ascertain whether he was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the accident,” ACP A B. Valand (M Division) said.

Preliminary checks suggest that Jani has no prior criminal record, officers added. Investigators are also verifying whether anyone else was present in the vehicle when the accident occurred.

Sarkhej police have registered a case and are carrying out further investigation into the sequence of events leading to the crash.