Gujarat: 3 Dead After Card Players Fall Into Open Well Amid Suspected Police Raid Scare in Bhavnagar
Three men died and another survived after four people fell into an open agricultural well while fleeing what they believed was a police raid during a late-night card game in Gujarat's Bhavnagar district. Families allege a police operation triggered the panic and are demanding an FIR, while police deny conducting any raid and have launched an inquiry.
A late-night card game in Gujarat's Bhavnagar district ended in tragedy after four men fell into an open agricultural well while trying to flee what they believed was a police raid, leaving three of them dead. The incident took place late Monday night, August 17, when 11 men were reportedly playing cards in an agricultural field.
According to initial information, a vehicle arrived at the spot and three people approached the group. Believing that a police raid was underway, the men panicked and began running. In the confusion and darkness, four of them fell into a nearby open well. Three died in the fall, while one survived. Gujarat Police Crack Down on Prostitution Racket at 4 Ahmedabad Spas; 9 Arrested.
Three Men Die After Falling Into Well
The victims have been identified as Rahul Popatbhai Chauhan (35), Nilesh Dabhi (37) and Ajitsinh (45). On Tuesday morning, the police control room received a call about a body on the farm. Police teams reached the location and, with the help of villagers, searched the area before finding three bodies in the well.
Sub-inspector D N Jadeja of Vartej police station said the bodies were recovered from the well and sent to Sir T. Hospital in Bhavnagar for post-mortem. "The police control room received a call reporting a body at the farm. Police arrived immediately and, with the help of villagers, conducted a search, discovering three bodies one after another in the well. These have been sent to Sir T. Hospital in Bhavnagar for post-mortem," he said, news agency PTI reported.
Following the incident, family members of the victims gathered in large numbers at the government hospital. The families alleged that a police raid had taken place and said the deaths occurred during the operation. They have demanded that an FIR be registered against police officials and have refused to accept the bodies. The allegations have not been established. Police officials have denied that any raid was conducted at the location.
Senior police officials and the Vartej police station have maintained that no police operation took place at the site. Vartej Police Inspector Padheriya said no police operation was carried out in the area.
According to the police, the arrival of the vehicle may have led the men to mistakenly believe that a raid was taking place. Padheriya also suggested that someone from the village may have played a prank, causing panic among the group. Police said the three individuals who arrived at the spot left after the incident.
Authorities have started an inquiry to establish the sequence of events and identify the people whose arrival triggered the panic.
The investigation is expected to focus on who arrived at the agricultural field, why the group believed a police raid was underway and what happened immediately before the four men fell into the well. For now, police continue to maintain that no raid was carried out, while the victims' families are demanding action against police officials.
The families have refused to accept the bodies and are demanding that an FIR be registered against police officials. Police, however, have maintained that no raid was carried out. The conflicting claims are likely to remain a key part of the inquiry as authorities work to establish the circumstances that led to the deaths.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 18, 2026 04:16 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
