School girl killed, 3 others injured as recklessly driven e-rickshaw topples

Police said the e-rickshaw was carrying four passengers — a man, Mohd Zahid, and three minor schoolgirls — when the driver allegedly jumped a red light at high speed near the chowk and overturned

A 16-year-old schoolgirl was killed and three others, including two minor girls, were injured when an e-rickshaw overturned at Paharganj Chowk on Monday morning, allegedly due to the driver’s rash and negligent driving.

Deputy commissioner of police (central) Nidhin Valsan said the driver, Dilip Kumar, 46, a resident of Motia Khan, was caught by passersby moments after the crash and handed over to police. (Representational image)

The accident occurred just a few metres from Paharganj police station around 7.30am.

Deputy commissioner of police (central) Nidhin Valsan said the driver, Dilip Kumar, 46, a resident of Motia Khan, was caught by passersby moments after the crash and handed over to police. The e-rickshaw was seized, and a case registered under sections 281 (rash driving), 125(a) (negligent conduct with respect to machinery), and 106(1) (causing death by negligence) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The matter has also been referred to the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT) for further action, Valsan added.

Police said the e-rickshaw was carrying four passengers — a man, Mohd Zahid, and three minor schoolgirls — when the driver allegedly jumped a red light at high speed near the chowk. “He lost control of the vehicle and the rickshaw overturned. The three girls and Zahid sustained injuries. One of the schoolgirls suffered a severe head injury and began bleeding profusely,” Valsan said. All the injured were rushed to a nearby hospital, where the 16-year-old was declared dead on arrival. The other three are undergoing treatment.

The deceased’s identity has not yet been released by the police.

Zahid, who suffered a leg injury, described the crash in his FIR statement: “The driver did not slow down despite the signal turning red. He was driving recklessly. In seconds, the rickshaw lost its balance and toppled. The girl who was sitting next to me started bleeding from the head and the two girls sitting opposite us were also hurt. I also started bleeding from my leg.”

Eyewitnesses said bystanders quickly rushed to help, even as traffic at the busy chowk was disrupted.

“The public ensured that the driver did not flee. The e-rickshaw has been seized and legal proceedings are underway,” the DCP said. Police said they are awaiting detailed medical reports of the injured girls.

The case has been referred to MACT to ensure strict action and compensation for the victims’ families.

The accident has renewed concerns about the unregulated plying of e-rickshaws in the Capital. While popular for last-mile connectivity, these battery-operated vehicles are often accused of overcrowding, rash driving, and flouting traffic norms.

In August, a class 3 student at a government school died when an e-rickshaw overturned in northeast Delhi’s Maujpur area while she was on her way to school.