Two men were killed and two others, including a pregnant woman and a five-year-old boy, were in critical condition after a 19-year-old man, allegedly drinking and driving, first hit a cyclist and then rammed his speeding car into a slum dwelling along Pankha Road in Janakpuri in the early hours of Thursday, police officers said.
The suspect, Harsh Sehrawat, a resident of Pochanpur in southwest Delhi, was nabbed from the spot by local residents and handed over to the police. He was allegedly under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crash, officers said.
The deceased were identified as Aseem Ansari, 45, and Phool Singh, 35.
Singh’s wife, Soni Devi, 32, who is six months’ pregnant, their five-year-old nephew Vishal Kumar are currently undergoing treatment. A third person, Kuldeep (goes by single name), 28, sustained minor injuries and was discharged after treatment.
Deputy commissioner of police (west) Vichitra Veer said the police control room was alerted around 3.30am about a fatal accident on Pankha Road. “By the time our team arrived, the injured had already been rushed to the hospital. There, we were informed that two people had succumbed to injuries, while three others were undergoing treatment,” he said.
Preliminary investigation revealed that Phool Singh hailed from Sitapur district in Uttar Pradesh and lived in a makeshift dwelling near the crash site with his extended family, including his parents, wife, nephew Vishal, sons Viraj and Rishi, and daughters Mahima and Raunak. He worked with his father, Lallu Ram, as a blacksmith, making iron tools.
{{/usCountry}}Preliminary investigation revealed that Phool Singh hailed from Sitapur district in Uttar Pradesh and lived in a makeshift dwelling near the crash site with his extended family, including his parents, wife, nephew Vishal, sons Viraj and Rishi, and daughters Mahima and Raunak. He worked with his father, Lallu Ram, as a blacksmith, making iron tools.
{{/usCountry}}Ansari, the second victim, was a native of Sitamarhi in Bihar and lived with his wife Khadeeja, three daughters, and 13-year-old son Ghulam in Durga Park.
He worked as a helper at a number plate shop in Mayapuri market.
“He was returning home after working overtime at the shop when he was hit by the speeding car,” said a police officer associated with the case, requesting anonymity. “The others, the injured ones, were asleep in their slum dwelling when the car veered off the road and crashed into them.”
According to DCP Veer, Sehrawat was driving a grey-coloured Maruti Swift and was returning from Gurugram with a friend.
“He first hit the bicycle on which Ansari was riding. Ansari was flung onto the car’s bonnet and dragged for nearly 250 metres before the vehicle slammed into the slum dwellings, crushing Phool Singh who was asleep near the entrance,” the officer said.
“Vishal was sleeping beside Singh, followed by Soni. That’s why they sustained injuries as well,” he added.
After the car stopped, slum dwellers and locals caught hold of Sehrawat who was allegedly heavily drunk at the time of the incident. They immediately alerted police and handed him over to them.
“He admitted to partying in Gurugram earlier that night and said he was returning with a friend,” the officer said.
Police have registered a case under sections of culpable homicide not amounting to murder, rash and negligent driving, and causing hurt by endangering life or personal safety under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Motor Vehicles Act.
Police said that Sehrawat finished his schooling recently and his father is a school van driver.
Phool Singh’s father, Lallu Ram, 65, said the family was asleep when the car tore through their slum. “I was sleeping at the far end. The car came in so fast. We had to lift it up to rescue my son, daughter-in-law and grandson. The vehicle only stopped because it hit debris near the side. If not, more lives would’ve been lost,” he said.
Ram also said Soni, who was six months pregnant, lost her unborn child. “Doctors told us the baby couldn’t be saved. It’s heartbreaking. We were waiting for the new arrival,” he said. Police have yet to confirm the loss of the unborn child.
Ansari’s son Ghulam, 13, said his father was the sole breadwinner of their family. “He worked hard for us. My siblings and I go to school — he made sure we did. Now I don’t know what we’ll do,” he said, holding back tears.
The family said it wasn’t uncommon for Ansari to return late from work, as he often took on extra hours to earn more. “He always worked overtime so we wouldn’t go without money,” Ghulam added.