‘Chased, caught’: Delhi cop held after fatal crash; victim's kin allege escape bid

A Delhi woman was killed by a police SUV, sparking allegations of reckless driving. The officer has been arrested for negligence.

A day after a 45-year-old woman died as she was mowed down by a Delhi Police sub inspector’s SUV at a road construction site in west Delhi’s Punjabi Bagh area, her family alleged that the policeman tried to escape multiple times and was forced to take the victim to the hospital.

The Delhi Police on Tuesday said the accused, SI Lucky, has been arrested and booked for rash driving and causing death by negligence. (Photo for representation) (PTI)

The Delhi Police on Tuesday said the accused, SI Lucky, has been arrested and booked for rash driving and causing death by negligence. The charges are bailable.

The accident took place around 1.30 am near North Avenue Road. The deceased, Dharamwati, was sweeping the floor at the site on central verge when the SI hit the woman with his Maruti Brezza.

DCP (west) Darade Sharad Bhaskar had said the woman sustained serious injuries and was taken to Acharya Bhikshu Hospital in Moti Nagar, where she was declared dead.

“The accused was not drunk, but his blood sample has been collected for medical examination. It also came to light no reflector jackets or caution cones were present at construction site, where the work was being carried out by the PWD,” the DCP said.

On Wednesday, Dharamwati’s family said that the policeman was driving recklessly. “There was no need for a jacket or cone. He ran over my sister and she was stuck under the car for 10 minutes when he was trying to escape. We and the locals chased and caught him,” said Somwati, the victim’s sister.

Dharamwati’s son, Arun Jatav said, “We lived here for over 10 years. My mother and I were working hardly a few metres from each other. The car was speeding and my mother had no chance to escape. We did not know he was a policeman. Our friends took down his name and phone number, following which we called the police. I want justice for my mother.”

The family lives in a JJ colony close to Bawana and have been living in Delhi for 10 years.

PWD has not responded to queries about the accident.