Teen operating crane runs over girl while busy on phone in Sohna

After the accident, the boy abandoned the crane and tried to flee but was chased and caught by bystanders

A 16-year-old boy who was operating a crane mowed down and killed a Class 12 student on Monday morning on the Sohna-Palwal Road (NH-919), police said, adding that the minor operating the crane did not spot the victim as he was using his cellphone. After the accident, the boy abandoned the crane and tried to flee but was chased and caught by bystanders and handed over to police.

The incident took place near the Silani bus stand between 8am and 8.15am. (HT Photo)

The victim was identified as Monika Kumari, 17, a resident of Kaliayaka village in Nuh who studied in a school in Sohna. The accused was employed by the crane owner a few months ago and was driving the crane towards Palwal when the accident occurred, said police. To be sure, it is illegal under the Motor Vehicles Act to give any vehicle to a minor, especially one such as a crane that requires special expertise to operate.

“The incident took place near the Silani bus stand between 8am and 8.15am. Every working day, Monika walked from her house in Nuh to the Silani bus stand from where she took a bus to her school in Sohna. On Monday, Monika avoided the footpath, which was heavily water logged after Sunday’s rainfall and would have dirtied her school uniform, and was walking on the main road. She was then run over by the crane as its juvenile operator was busy on the phone,” said Jitender Kumar, assistant commissioner of police (Sohna).

Locals who witnessed the scene raised the alarm, following which the boy abandoned the crane and tried to run away. He was chased and caught by locals, who called the police to the spot.

Police registered a first information report at Sadar Sohna police station and booked the boy operating the crane and the crane owner under sections 106 (causing death by negligence) and 281 (rash driving) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. “We have apprehended the boy. We will arrest the crane owner soon,” he added.

After the accident, irate locals from Silani, Hasanpur and neighbouring villages gathered at the spot and launched a protest on the Sohna-Palwal road. They did not let police take away the body until 11am when senior police officers arrived on the scene and assured them that action would be taken against the accused. Police sent the girl’s body for an autopsy.

“The victim’s mother is a widow and we have assured locals that she will be compensated as per government rules and action will be taken against the crane owner. We recovered the girl’s school bag from the scene and gave it to her mother,” said ACP Kumar.