Car hits three students on New Year’s Eve in Greater Noida; 1 critical as cops search for white Santro

Police have registered a complaint under sections 279 (rash driving or riding on a public way) and 338 (causing grievous hurt to any person by doing any act so rashly or negligently as to endanger human life, or the personal safety of others) of the Indian Penal Code

Two women and a man who study at a private college in Noida were allegedly hit by a Santro car in Greater Noida at 9pm on December 31. 

Sweety Kumar (22), a final year BTech student from Bihar, sustained a head injury and has been put on ventilator support. Her condition is critical, according to doctors.

One of them, Sweety Kumar (22), a final year BTech student who is from Bihar, sustained a head injury and has been put on ventilator support. Her condition is critical, according to doctors. 

Two others,  Karsoni Dong (22) from Arunachal Pradesh and Anganba (23) from Manipur, who goes by his first name, received minor injuries and were discharged.

According to Shivani Singh, a friend of the three and the complainant in the case, the latter were walking home after buying groceries near Alpha 2 bus stand. Karsoni and Sweety stay together while Anganba stays in a neighbouring flat.  

According to police, Karsoni and Anganba said they were walking in a line on the side of the road when a vehicle hit them. 

Said Singh, “My friends were taken to the hospital by a couple who were behind the Santro in a Baleno. They said the car was moving erratically and the driver was driving rashly.” 

Police registered a complaint on January 1 under sections 279 (rash driving or riding on a public way) and 338 (causing grievous hurt to any person by doing any act so rashly or negligently as to endanger human life, or the personal safety of others) of the Indian Penal Code.

We received a complaint at 10pm from the friends of the students. The eyewitnesses who helped take them to the hospital told us that the students were hit by a white Santro, but we don’t have a registration number yet. We have formed teams and are checking CCTV footage of the area,” said Anjani Kumar Singh, station house officer of Beta 2 police station.  

Meanwhile, doctors said Sweety has suffered major brain injuries. “A craniotomy has been performed by the neurosurgeon but she is still on ventilator support. We are continuously monitoring her situation. She also has fractures in both legs apart from other injuries,” said Dr Dinesh Sharma, director, Kailash hospital, Greater Noida.  

One of the legs has five fractures and will also need surgery. However, that can only be done once Sweety is taken off the ventilator, doctors said.  

Sweety’s parents reached Delhi on January 2. Friends said the family is financially weak and her parents have come to visit her for the first time. The cost of treatment is approximately  ₹10 lakh and Sweety's friends have been able to crowd fund  ₹3 lakh so far.