Toddler dies as she falls from window of car struck by speeding SUV in Delhi's Alipur

The two-year-old was sitting on a passenger's lap on the front seat, and the car's windows were rolled down as the AC was not working.

A two-year-old girl died after falling out of a car window, allegedly as a speeding SUV rammed the vehicle in north Delhi’s Alipur on Sunday afternoon, police said on Tuesday. The SUV driver left his car at the scene and fled.

According to the police, the impact caused the Celerio to flip and crash into a road divider. (Representational/Sanchit Khanna/HT Photo)

Deputy commissioner of police (DCP) (north) Hareshwar Swami said the incident took place around 2pm near the Khampur red light at Bakoli village when a Maruti Celerio, with six occupants, was heading from Delhi towards Sonipat.

“As the vehicle began moving after the signal turned green, a Toyota Fortuner allegedly being driven at high speed hit it from behind,” the DCP said.

According to the police, the impact caused the Celerio to flip and crash into a road divider. “During the collision, the toddler, who was sitting on a passenger’s lap, flung out of the window,” the officer said, adding that she was taken to SRHC Hospital in Narela, where doctors declared her dead on arrival. However, the girl’s mother alleged that she died a few minutes after being admitted to the hospital.

Arti, 28, driving the Celerio at the time, told HT that she was travelling with her 3-year-old son, daughter Devanshi, friend Jyoti, and Jyoti’s father and brother. Devanshi was sitting in Jyoti’s lap on the passenger seat.

“We were at the traffic signal, and it had just turned green. I had just started the vehicle when a Toyota Fortuner hit us from behind. The windows were rolled down as the AC was not working in the car,” Arti said, adding that as soon as the car was hit, her daughter fell out of the window onto the road. “She sustained severe head injuries, and two other members in the car were also injured,” the mother said.

Arti said she called for help from the Fortuner driver, but he left the car at the spot and fled. “I asked him to help us take my daughter to the hospital. He didn’t respond, and as several people gathered, he fled. After waiting for some time, an e-rickshaw driver finally stopped and took us to the hospital. She died a few minutes after we admitted her,” she said.

Police said both vehicles have been seized for forensic examination. A case has been registered under sections 281 (rash driving) and 106(1) (causing death by negligence) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. A hunt is underway to trace the accused, the officer said. Arti said she had celebrated Devanshi’s second birthday on April 7.