Ahmedabad: A 23-year-old second-year MBA student from MICA, Priyanshu Jain, died on November 11 from stab wounds following an alleged road rage altercation in the Bopal area of the city. Today, the Ahmedabad Crime Branch apprehended the accused, who allegedly stabbed Priyanshu. The accused assailant, Virendrasinh Padheriya, has been identified as a police constable posted at Sarkhej Police Station. After the stabbing, he fled to Punjab but was later detained by the Ahmedabad Crime Branch.

It has also been learned that the accused cop was on sick leave since October 29th. He had left home on Sunday, saying that he was going for a holiday in Punjab and Haryana. Padheriya has been a controversial cop and was previously suspended in the Satellite call center case. He was later reposted at the Narol police station and then, a few days ago, transferred to the Sarkhej police station.

While investigating the case, the Ahmedabad Crime Branch found that the accused had left the car he was driving on the day of the accident and traveled to Punjab by road after borrowing another car from his friend. However, during the probe, the police grew suspicious of a black-colored Harrier car that had a missing number and was traced to Punjab. The suspicion was confirmed when the police reached Punjab and found that the accused cop was driving that car.

Now, the circumstances under which Virendra committed the murder will be investigated after his return to Ahmedabad. Following that, the necessary legal procedures will be carried out, and he will be handed over to the Ahmedabad District Police.

In the FIR filed at the Bopal police station, Prithviraj Parakshitdas Mahapatra, a batchmate of Priyanshu, reported that he and Priyanshu had first visited Maruti Tailor for suit measurements on Nov 10th, then stopped by a cafe near Vakilsaheb Bridge, and later visited a bakery. Around 10:30 pm, as they were returning to college and waiting at a road turn, a car sped toward them, coming dangerously close. Priyanshu shouted at the driver, “Why are you driving so fast?”

The car then began chasing them as they rode their motorcycle. The driver reportedly shouted, “Stop, what were you saying?” When they stopped, the confrontation escalated as the driver accused them of driving on the wrong side of the road and allegedly shoved Priyanshu. The situation quickly turned violent when the driver pulled out two knives and attacked Priyanshu. As Priyanshu tried to evade the attack, he lost his balance and fell onto the road. The driver then allegedly stabbed him multiple times before fleeing the scene. Mahapatra tried to flag down passing cars for help, and a woman eventually took Priyanshu to Saraswati Hospital, from where he was referred to Zydus Hospital, where he was pronounced dead around midnight.

The assailant has been booked for murder under Section 103(1) of the BNS and Section 135 of the Gujarat Police Act for violating orders. The FIR was filed early Monday morning. DeshGujarat