Noida: Thar goes on a rampage at Sector 16 market, driver held

The viral video showed the black Thar being driven on the wrong side, ramming a grey WagonR, hitting parked bikes, and narrowly missing a Swift, before crashing into a scooter, and then speeding away.

The Noida police on Wednesday said they have arrested a 33-year-old man for rash driving and criminal intimidation, a day after he intentionally rammed his Mahindra Thar into multiple vehicles at the busy Sector 16 car market — an incident that led to widespread panic in the area.

The video led to considerable public outrage, though police were quick to confirm that no serious injuries were reported. (HT Photo)

Police said the accused, identified as Sachin Kumar Lohia, a resident of Morna village, was arrested on Wednesday, and his Thar has been confiscated.

Giving details of the incident, police said Lohia had recently purchased a second-hand Thar, and on Tuesday afternoon drove to the Sector 16 car market to get some speakers installed. At the market, officers said, Lohia got into a verbal altercation with some people, and enraged, the 33-year-old got into his car and drove recklessly through the market, ramming multiple vehicles on the way.

A 12-second video of the episode emerged on social media, in which a black Thar driving on the wrong side of the road was seen ramming a grey Maruti WagonR, then slamming into a few parked motorcycles — a number of which fell over — and then narrowly missing a white Maruti Swift, before colliding with a white scooter (the driver managed to hastily get off) and then speed away.

The video led to considerable public outrage, though police were quick to confirm that no serious injuries were reported.

Officers said as soon as the incident came to light, two police teams were formed to apprehend the accused. Deputy commissioner of police (Noida) Ram Badan Singh said that the first information report was registered at the Phase 1 police station.

“A case was registered against him under sections 115(2)(voluntarily causing hurt), 352 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace), 351(2)(criminal intimidation), 281(rash driving or riding in a public way) and 324(2)(mischief) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS),” he said.

As the vehicle’s numberplate was clearly visible in the video, Lohia was quickly tracked down and arrested, police said.

“The Mahindra Thar has been confiscated,” the DCP said. Police said that an e-challan for a sum of ₹38,500 was also issued against the car for violating traffic rules as per the MV Act.