Amreli (Gujarat), June 14 – In a deeply tragic turn of events, 36-year-old Arjun Patolia, a resident of Vadia village in Gujarat’s Amreli district and a British citizen, was among the 241 victims who lost their lives in the devastating Air India plane crash on Thursday. Arjun had returned to India with a solemn purpose — to immerse the ashes of his late wife, Bharti, in the sacred Narmada River.

Bharti had passed away just two weeks earlier in London after a prolonged illness. Arjun, who had been living in London with his wife and their two daughters aged four and eight, had performed her funeral rites there before travelling to India to fulfill her final wish.

According to his brother Sanjay Patolia, after completing the rituals near Vadodara, Arjun was en route to board his return flight from Ahmedabad when tragedy struck. “Soon after the plane took off, we received the heartbreaking news of the crash. We are shattered,” Sanjay said with a choked voice.

Arjun’s sudden death has left his young daughters orphaned. “Both girls are currently staying with close relatives in London,” Sanjay added.

What began as a journey of closure and devotion ended in unimaginable sorrow. The Air India flight, which crashed moments after taking off from Ahmedabad on Thursday, has claimed hundreds of lives and left families like Arjun’s in grief and despair.

Amreli, May 6 – A tragic incident occurred in Gujarat’s Amreli district where four young men drowned while bathing in the Shetrunji River. The mishap took place on Monday evening near Gavdka village, as confirmed by police officials on Tuesday.

According to an officer from the Amreli Taluka Police Station, the victims had entered the river to bathe but failed to resurface, prompting immediate concern. A rescue operation was launched by the district fire department team, which continued into the late hours of the night. After a prolonged search, all four bodies were recovered from the river.

The deceased have been identified as Narendra Wala (18), Kaushik Rathod (21), Bhargav Rathod (20), and Kamlesh Dafda (27). As per agency report, the police have registered a case of accidental death early Tuesday in connection with the incident.

This heartbreaking event has cast a pall of sorrow over the local community, as families and villagers mourn the loss of the four young lives.

Amreli, April 27 – A truck driver has been arrested in Gujarat’s Amreli district for allegedly running over and killing a lioness, a forest official confirmed on Sunday. The incident occurred on April 24 near Devaliya village along the Amreli-Savarkundla highway.

Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF) Viralsinh Chavda stated that the accused, Rajesh Padariya, was driving at high speed when he fatally struck the lioness early Tuesday morning. As per agency report, three special teams were formed to apprehend the driver. Based on CCTV footage and intelligence inputs, Padariya was successfully tracked down and arrested.

Officials explained that the teams conducted thorough inspections of the surrounding areas and identified the vehicle involved using surveillance footage from petrol pumps and cameras installed near the accident site.

The driver has been charged under provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, and the Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Act, 2022. Following the rejection of his bail application, the accused has been sent to jail.

Amreli, April 22 – A training aircraft operated by a private aviation academy crashed into a residential area in Amreli district, Gujarat, on Tuesday afternoon, resulting in the death of a trainee pilot. The accident occurred around 12:30 PM in the Giriya Road area of Amreli city, as per agency report.

The aircraft, which had taken off from Amreli Airport, first hit a tree and then fell onto an open plot of land, catching fire soon after impact. The pilot, who was alone in the aircraft during the training sortie, died on the spot, police officials confirmed.

Amreli Superintendent of Police Sanjay Kharat stated that the aircraft was part of a training fleet operated by a Delhi-based aviation academy functioning out of Amreli Airport. The cause of the crash remains unknown at this stage, and the local police have registered a case of accidental death and initiated an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.

Following the crash, fire broke out, engulfing the aircraft in flames. Four fire brigade teams were dispatched to the site in the Shastrinagar locality to contain the blaze. Fire officer S.C. Gadhvi confirmed that despite the aircraft crashing within a residential area, no civilians were harmed due to the plane initially striking a tree and then landing in an empty plot.

The incident has raised concerns about flight safety and training operations in populated areas, and authorities are expected to conduct a detailed probe to determine what led to the crash.

Amreli, February 19 – A seven-year-old boy was killed in a lion attack in Gujarat’s Amreli district, near the Gir National Park, officials from the Forest Department confirmed on Wednesday.

The tragic incident took place on Tuesday morning when the child, identified as Rahul Baraiya, was attacked while going to fetch water from a nearby river in Paniya village. His severely mauled body was later discovered in the area.

Following the attack, forest officials launched an operation and successfully captured two lions roaming in the vicinity. Deputy Conservator of Forests Jayant Patle stated that the captured lions have been sent to Krankach Animal Care Center for examination.

The Gir National Park and its surrounding areas have witnessed frequent human-wildlife conflicts, with authorities continuously monitoring lion movements to prevent such unfortunate incidents.

wo lions roaming in the vicinity. Deputy Conservator of Forests Jayant Patle stated that the captured lions have been sent to Krankach Animal Care Center for examination.

The Gir National Park and its surrounding areas have witnessed frequent human-wildlife conflicts, with authorities continuously monitoring lion movements to prevent such unfortunate incidents.

Amreli, Oct 29 (IANS) A five-year-old girl was killed by a leopard in Gujarat's Amreli district, said local authorities here on Sunday.

The incident took place on October 28, officials said. The victim was identified as the daughter of agricultural labourers residing in the area.

According to Jyoti Vaja, the forest officer, the girl was playing when the leopard suddenly pounced on her.

Her parents and others present at the scene raised an alarm, prompting the leopard to release its grip and flee. Despite immediate efforts to seek medical help, the girl succumbed to severe neck injuries sustained during the attack.

Amreli district has experienced a series of fatalities due to leopard attacks in recent times. On October 14, a woman lost her life in Wadala village, located in the Talala taluka of the district.

Gujarat, as a whole, has witnessed a noticeable surge in its leopard population.

According to the latest census data from the forest department, the state's leopard count stood at 2,274 in 2023. This represents a substantial 63 per cent increase from the 2016 figures, which recorded 1,395 leopards in the region. 

Ahmedabad, October 12: Twenty-four cows were killed in a collision with a passenger train going from Mahuva to Surat near Badhada village of Savarkundla tehsil in Amreli district of Gujarat on Wednesday night.

The incident is said to have happened around 8 pm. As soon as information about the matter was received, a large number of cow servants including senior officials of Railways and Police reached the spot. There was chaos among the passengers traveling in the train due to the incident. There is no news of any passenger being injured in the accident.

The death of 24 cows in the train collision created a stir in the entire area. BJP workers including nearby villagers also gathered in large numbers. After the incident, the railway gate was closed, due to which the train was stopped for about 25 minutes. Police and a large number of cow lovers reached the spot.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Haresh Vora said that the municipal team removed the dead bodies of all the animals from the track. The municipality duly cremated the cows.

According to the information, a few days ago, lions had died after colliding with a train on the same railway track.

The train collision is a reminder of the dangers that livestock face on railway tracks. It is important to take measures to prevent such incidents from happening in the future.