18-year-old driver whose Mercedes crushed three to death in Mohali arrested

Chandigarh resident driving at 140kmph after having drinks with friends when the car crashed into a cab and two cyclists on Airport Road on Saturday morning

The Mercedes car that claimed the lives of three men near Radha Soami Satsang Chowk in Mohali on Saturday morning was being driven by an 18-year-old boy, who was out for a joyride with his friends after a drinking session in the car, police said on Sunday.

The accused, Samrat Singh, does not have a driving licence and was driving under the influence of liquor, said police.

The driver, Samrat Singh, a resident of Sector 34D, has been arrested. His Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe 43 (CH01-CA-1869) was moving at a speed of 140km per hour when he crashed into a taxi and then ran over two cyclists. The collisions had killed two occupants of the taxi and one of the cyclists, while three were left critically injured.

“His family runs Weldon Opticians store in Sector 17, Chandigarh. He doesn’t have a driving licence and was drunk at the time of the accident. His two friends travelling in the car with him, identified as Arjun and Prabhnoor Singh, have also been booked. They are at large,” senior superintendent of police (SSP) Satinder Singh said, adding that liquor bottles and glasses were found in the luxury car.

After the accident, the trio fled the scene in another car even after sensing the victims’ serious condition and didn’t even inform the police or ambulance, the SSP said.

The deceased, all residents of Mohali, were Ram Prasad of Mataur, who was on a cycle, and Ankush Narula of Zirakpur and Dharampreet of Gholumajra village, who were returning from work in the taxi.

Among the injured, cab driver Harish Kumar is stated to be critical at PGIMER, Chandigarh.

Pradeep Kumar, who was in the cab, survived the crash with fractures in both legs and arms and is admitted at a private hospital in Sector 71, Mohali. The second cyclist, Shripal, is out of danger and admitted at the Phase-6 Civil Hospital.

Raids on for absconding friends

Police said they were conducting raids to arrest Arjun and Prabhnoor, while Samrat had been sent to one-day police remand by a local court.

All three study at a private school in Sector 26, Chandigarh. Arjun lives in Sector 9, Chandigarh, and Prabnoor, who is the son of the owner of Hotel Majestic in Phase 9, Mohali, is a resident of Phase 7.

All accused are facing charges under Sections 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 120-B (criminal conspiracy), 304A (causing death by negligence) and 279 (rash driving) of the Indian Penal Code.

“Investigations will be completed in the next two weeks, and the court will be asked to conduct a speedy trial and give an exemplary punishment to the culprits,” the SSP said.

“We have lost everything”

Jasbir Singh, father of Dharampreet, 23, who died in the accident, said they had lost everything with his son’s death. “He got a job with Unify, a billing services provider, in Phase 8B, Industrial Area, three years ago and was expected to get married by the end of 2021. He was earning a good salary and was helping with our house’s construction in Gholumajra village,” said Jasbir, a daily wager.