1 week Ago
Surat: Even as MICA student Priyanshu Jain's death in a road rage incident in Ahmedabad is yet to fade away from collective memory, a similar horrifying incident has shocked the Diamond City. A 56-year-old man was deliberately crushed under a tempo following an altercation over rash driving on Saturday. The victim was identified as Jitendra Katargam who worked in a PSU bank.
The incident took place in Katargam area of Surat in the presence of the victim's son. On Nov 10 night, Jain was stabbed to death by police constable Virendrasinh Padheriya after the MICA student had shouted at the cop over his rash driving in Bopal area of Ahmedabad. In the Surat incident, Kanthariya went to the FSL office in Surat on Saturday to receive his son Bhavik.
When they were returning home in Amroli around 3.15pm, they stopped at Ratnamala Crossroads because of traffic. At that point, a white pickup tempo (Bolero) hit their motorcycle from behind.
Both Kanthariya and Bhavik confronted the tempo driver about his rash driving, which led to a heated argument between them. The driver allegedly responded with verbal abuse before accelerating. The temp hit Kanthariya and dragged him for some distance.
The tempo stopped only after Bhavik and passers-by tried to stop it. But by then Kanthariya had been seriously injured. The tempo driver sped away.
Kanthariya was rushed to Prananath Hospital where he was declared dead by doctors. The entire incident was captured by CCTVs. Teams of Surat crime branch and Katargam police station swung into action and nabbed the tempo driver, Mayur Mer (39), near Khodiyar Temple of Mahidharpura.
The tempo was seized. Mer was booked for murder and criminal intimidation under provisions of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Relevant sections of the Prevention of Atrocities Act were also invoked as Kanthariya belonged to the SC community.
Kanthariya was working as a peon in the Bank of Baroda. His son works in the FSL office of Surat..
