Car jumps divider, lands on cab on other side, 2 die

The cab was being driven by Arjun Singh Solanki, 31, and had two passengers — Suman and Sanjeev Dhoopra.

Two people in a taxi were killed and at least one more person was critically injured after a car on the opposite carriageway of the Noida Link Road near Mayur Vihar in east Delhi lost control, jumped the central verge, and then rammed their cab in the early hours of Sunday, police officers said.

One of the two vehicles that were involved in the accident early on Sunday. (HT Photo)

According to police, the car that lost control — a Mahindra Bolero — was travelling from Delhi towards Noida at around 1.14am, and was speeding when it lost control, hit the central verge, and veered into the opposite carriageway. It then first hit a Maruti Baleno — the impact of which made the Bolero jump in the air and land on a cab, a Tata Tigor EV.

The cab was being driven by Arjun Singh Solanki, 31, and had two passengers — Suman and Sanjeev Dhoopra.

Police said Solanki was killed at the spot, and the injured couple was taken to a hospital, where Suman died on arrival. Sanjeev is currently undertreatment and is unfit to give a statement, police said.

A case was lodged on the basis of a statement of Aakash Vashista, the driver of the Baleno.

Deputy commissioner of police (east) Abhishek Dhania said, “The complainant told us he was going from Noida to Delhi when the accused hit the central verge and rammed into his Baleno car. The Bolero then fell on the second car.”

An initial probe revealed that the accused was allegedly speeding and lost control of the vehicle, officers said, adding that they are searching for him.

He was found to be a resident of southeast Delhi, said an officer aware of the matter.

“We are checking CCTV cameras. We also found a liquor bottle inside the car. We don’t know if its old or if the accused was drinking and driving,” the officer said, asking not to be named.