Ahmedabad: An autorickshaw plunged into the Sabarmati River from a bridge in Sector-30 of Gandhinagar on Tuesday morning. A rescue operation was launched to trace the missing driver.The driver, Rakesh Thakor, 25, a resident of Moti Shiholi village, was on his way from Chiloda to a Gandhinagar court for documentation related to a land matter. According to police, Thakor was crossing the bridge when he allegedly lost control on the steering wheel and the rickshaw reportedly veered off the bridge and fell into the river below. Local residents claimed that a repair work was underway on the bridge and alleged that proper barricading was not put in place.
On receiving information, the Gandhinagar fire brigade rushed to the spot and launched a rescue operation. After sustained efforts, the team managed to retrieve the rickshaw from the river. However, Thakor was not found inside the vehicle.Fire personnel launched an intensive search operation in the deeper sections of the Sabarmati to trace the missing driver. Officials said divers were scanning the area amid concerns about the river’s depth and current.The incident led to heavy traffic congestion on both sides of the bridge as onlookers gathered at the site. Police teams from Chiloda station reached the spot and worked to clear the traffic and disperse crowds. A Chiloda police officer said a preliminary investigation suggested that Thakor was alone in the rickshaw at the time of the accident. “He appears to have lost control of the steering while crossing the bridge,” he said.Family members and residents of Moti Shiholi village gathered near the bridge as the news spread, creating a tense atmosphere. Fire brigade officials said efforts were focused on locating the missing driver, and further action would follow based on the outcome of the search operation.
