Ahmedabad police have arrested and released on bail a man accused of fleeing after his car struck a Rapido motorcycle near Shilaj Circle, killing a 35-year-old passenger. The accused, identified as Raghavendra Kushwaha, is the nephew of Bapunagar MLA Dineshsinh Kushwaha, according to the report by Gujarat Samachar – Ahmedabad.
The accident took place at about 7 am on November 11 near Gurukrupa Traders crossroads, close to Shilaj Circle. The motorcycle was being ridden by Pradeep Kumar, with Harshadkumar Purbia seated behind him. Purbia died in the collision. He was originally from Dhrangadhra in Surendranagar district and was living in Ahmedabad’s Shastrinagar area.
Police said the car driver left the scene after the collision. The Bopal police traced the vehicle and its alleged driver using CCTV footage from the surrounding area and the vehicle’s number plate. Raghavendra was taken into custody from his residence within 15 to 17 hours after police received information about the accident, the police station’s in-charge inspector said.
The inspector said the accused was released on bail after questioning because the case was treated as a fatal accident matter for which bail was legally applicable. He also denied that the police action was influenced by pressure from any individual or group, saying the main accused had been arrested directly by the investigating team.
According to the police account cited in the report, the crash occurred on the road leading from Shilaj towards the highway. The motorcycle was crossing the road to enter an inner stretch when the car hit its rear section. Police said there was no CCTV camera at the exact location of the accident, making footage from nearby areas and the registration number important to the investigation.
Police also said that no information suggesting the accused was under the influence of alcohol had emerged in the investigation so far. The report stated that investigators were examining a possible earlier accident involving the accused, but it did not provide further details about that matter.
The case highlights the operational difficulty of investigating collisions on rapidly developing stretches around Ahmedabad where surveillance coverage may not extend to every junction or road segment. In this instance, the police said they relied on available footage and the vehicle’s number plate despite the absence of a camera at the crash location. Further proceedings will depend on the investigation and the evidence collected by Bopal police.
