E-Paper
Boy crushed under SUV in Ludhiana: Thought my car had hit a speed-breaker, driver tells police
Said as the height of the child was lower than the bonnet of his vehicle, he did not see him
Two days after the death of a three-year-old boy, Vidhit Srivastav, police have arrested the driver of the Ford Endeavour that ran over the child on Thursday.
The accused has been identified as Vishal Kumar of Prem Nagar. Police have also seized his vehicle.
During questioning, the accused told the police that as the height of the child was lower than the bonnet of his vehicle, he did not see him. When he experienced a jerk, he though that it was a speed-breaker. He found out about the child’s death only later when his vehicle’s number started being circulated on social media.
He said he got scared and hid to avoid arrest.
Inspector Jarnail Singh, Division Number 8 station house officer (SHO), said police arrested the accused from Kailash Chowk when he was trying to flee the city. He added that it is suspected that the accused was under the influence of drugs or liquor at the time of the mishap. Police will they will conduct a dope test on the accused to ascertain this.
It is also suspected that the accused made some modifications in his vehicle to increase the ground clearance. The SHO added that the police are investigation this and if modifications were found in his vehicle, more sections would be added against him in the FIR.
Three-year-old Vidhit Srivastav was crushed to death under the Ford Endeavour in front of Saraswati Modern High School, on Monday afternoon. Onlookers had jotted down the number of the vehicle and informed the police. Police had lodged the FIR against the SUV driver for causing death due to negligence.
On Wednesday morning, the victim’s kin had staged a protest outside the school, demanding a case against the school management.
The inspector added that the police will take appropriate action against the school management after recording the statement of the parents of the victim.
