Infant girl, woman headed to temples killed in hit and runs in Chandigarh tricity

11-month-old who was in her father’s arms when a speeding car him them in Chandigarh’s Mauli Jagran; reversing vehicle runs over 52-year-old woman in Panchkula

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Police have lodged separate cases for reckless driving and causing death by negligence; and launched manhunt for the accused drivers. (iStock)

Two hit-and-run accidents in the tricity within 24 hours claimed the lives of an 11-month-old girl and a 52-year-old woman, both of whom were on their way to temples amid the ongoingNavratri festival.

The 11-month-old, Chandni, was killed after a speeding vehicle ran over her near Kheda Mandir in Mauli Jagran, Chandigarh, around 9.30 pm on Tuesday night.

Satpal, the father of the deceased, in his complaint to the police, said he was walking towards Kheda Mandir with his daughter in his arms, when a speeding vehicle coming from the opposite direction hit him, causing the infant to fall on the road. Before he could react, the front wheel of the vehicle ran over Satpal’s leg and his daughter was crushed under the rear tyre of a generator that was tied behind the vehicle.

According to Satpal, the driver of the vehicle tried to flee, but bystanders managed to stop him. However, he found the opportunity to escape again. Satpal, who claims he can recognise the driver, rushed his daughter to the Manimajra dispensary, where doctors declared her dead on arrival.

In another hit and run incident, a 52-year-old woman was run over by a reversing vehicle near Radha Soami Satsang Bhawan, Mankya, Panchkula, on Wednesday evening.

The victim, along with her family and other devotees, was headed to attend a religious gathering at the Satsang Bhawan. According to Sanjay Sharma, a resident of Tribune Friends Colony, Panchkula, who was also present at the satsang, the victim, Suman Sachdeva, was present near a parked truck when the driver carelessly reversed the vehicle at high speed, hitting Sachdeva and trapping her under the vehicle’s wheels.

Sachdeva was immediately rushed to the Sector 6 civil hospital in Panchkula, where doctors provided first-aid and referred her to Alchemist Hospital, Sector 21, Panchkula.

However, Sachdeva succumbed to her injuries later that evening. Sharma, in his statement to police, blamed the driver’s negligence for the fatal accident. He said the truck driver’s failure to provide any warning before reversing led to Sachdeva being struck by the vehicle. The investigation revealed that the accident was a direct result of reckless driving, leading police to lodge an FIR under Sections 281 and 106 (1) of the BNS against the absconding driver, while they have seized the vehicle involved.

In 2023, pedestrians accounted for 41.79% of road accident fatalities in Chandigarh, with 28 out of 67 deaths involving those on foot.

The data highlights the growing dangers faced by pedestrians on city roads. In 2022, 23 pedestrians died in 46 pedestrian accidents in the city.