Rajkot: A fatal accident in Morbi district has been followed by a criminal case against a local online journalist, with Halvad police alleging that he orchestrated a road blockade using grieving women and children to film footage — causing safety risks and disrupting traffic on a key rural route.Halvad police have registered an FIR against Mehul Bharwad, associated with an online news channel, for allegedly endangering lives by instigating a protest blockade.The FIR, filed by police sub-inspector Arun Balkrishna Mishra, states that the offence took place between 10am and 11am on Thursday on the Juna Devaliya–Charadva road.The alleged offence came after the fatal accident on Wednesday in Juna Devaliya village, where a girl named Roshni Morvadiya died after a motorcycle driven by a minor ploughed into three girls.According to police, as mourners gathered outside the deceased’s residence, Bharwad allegedly asked women and children to sit on the road and block traffic. The FIR states his motive was “to shoot interview footage of the grieving persons to increase his channel’s popularity and secure personal financial gain”.The blockade disrupted vehicular movement and posed a serious risk by blocking emergency vehicles, including ambulances.When police confronted Bharwad and warned him about the danger of placing women and children in the path of heavy vehicles, he allegedly refused to cooperate. He also dismissed lawful orders, reportedly saying he did not care about the consequences and that managing traffic was the police’s responsibility.Citing his refusal to comply and disregard for public safety, Bharwad was booked for attempted culpable homicide, wrongful restraint and danger or obstruction of a public way under BNS. He has also been booked under the Gujarat Police Act for failure to conform to a reasonable order.
