2 injured as runaway Delhi boy crashes Thar in Noida

Police, alerted by passersby, reached the spot and rushed two injured individuals – Pankaj (in his 40s) and Sumit (in his 30s) – to a nearby hospital. Both were later discharged after treatment

A 17-year-old boy from Delhi caused a chain collision in Noida’s Sector 24 on Thursday after losing control of a rented Mahindra Thar SUV while allegedly trying to avoid his parents, who had been searching for him since he ran away from home. Two people were injured in the incident, police said.

Investigators privy with the case details, who asked not to be identified, said that the minor, a high-school dropout, had booked the Lucknow-registered Thar online for ₹4,000 using money taken from home. (Video grab/HT Photo)

According to police, the minor had fled his home in Delhi’s Kondli on Wednesday afternoon and came to Noida to meet a friend. On Thursday around 5pm, while driving the rented SUV with his minor friend, who is a resident of Noida, he spotted his parents approaching from the opposite direction.

“In an attempt to not be sighted, he reversed the vehicle at high speed and moved in the opposite direction. While escaping at speed, he hit two to three two-wheelers,” said SK Tomar, station house officer of Sector 24 police station. The SUV subsequently rammed into a divider and came to a stop.

Police, alerted by passersby, reached the spot and rushed two injured individuals – Pankaj (in his 40s) and Sumit (in his 30s) – to a nearby hospital. Both were later discharged after treatment.

A case has been registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for rash driving and causing injuries.

Authorities are investigating how the minor accessed the rental vehicle despite being underage and how his parents located him in Noida.

“The reason behind him leaving home is part of the investigation. It is also yet to be ascertained how his family got the minor’s location,” said Shavya Goyal, additional deputy commissioner of police, Noida, adding that his family members have been called for further investigation.