Delhi: Drunk man held for ramming another car, rash driving in Jama Masjid area

Some of the pedestrians had a narrow escape as they jumped out of the way of the rashly driven car. Scores of people then chased and stopped the car, overpowered its driver, damaged his vehicle and handed him and his fellow occupant over to the police

Tension gripped Jama Masjid area in the Walled City on Sunday night after a 20-year-old man, who was allegedly in an inebriated condition, rashly drove his car through a busy lane in a bid to escape the area after hitting another car outside Kasturba Hospital, police said.

A case has been registered against the driver under sections 279 (rash driving) and 337 (causing hurt by act endangering life of personal safely of others) of the Indian Penal Code. (Picture for representation only)

Some of the pedestrians had a narrow escape as they jumped out of the way of the rashly driven car. Scores of people then chased and stopped the car, overpowered its driver, damaged his vehicle and handed him and his fellow occupant over to the police.

The errant car driver was identified as Pratik Tiwari, a resident of Mayur Vihar in east Delhi. His friend was with him in the car when the accident took place, police said. They were going towards an eatery to have dinner when their WagonR car hit a Santro that was coming out of the hospital gate, police said, quoting the two suspects.

Some locals raised slogans in the neighbourhood soon after Tiwari was caught, but senior police officers clarified that there was no communal angle to the incident.

Deputy commissioner of police (central) Shweta Chauhan said around midnight, the police received information regarding an accident and a crowd near Gate Number-1 of Jama Masjid. The police found a grey WagonR there, in a damaged condition. It was found that the car had hit another vehicle and when the errant driver tried to escape, the tyre of his vehicle burst.

Taking advantage of that, locals rushed to the spot and caught him and his co-passenger and handed them over to police. During medical examination, it was found that both the men were under the influence of alcohol at the time of accident, the police said.

“The driver of the offending vehicle was arrested and a case has been registered against him under sections 279 (rash driving) and 337 (causing hurt by act endangering life of personal safely of others) of the Indian Penal Code,” the DCP said, adding that legal action will be taken against people who were involved in damaging his car.