Mini-truck crushes ragpicker in Palam, driver arrested

NEW DELHI: A 13- year-old ragpicker was crushed to death by a mini-truck in south-west Delhi’s Palam area on Monday.

NEW DELHI: A 13- year-old ragpicker was crushed to death by a mini-truck in south-west Delhi’s Palam area on Monday.

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According to the police, the driver, Mangal, 33, was reversing the vehicle and did not see the teenager sitting behind. Rajiv, a resident of the JJ cluster in Kailashpuri, was crushed under the rear wheel of the mini-truck. He was rushed to the hospital by the local residents and was declared dead on arrival by the doctors.

“The locals caught the driver and called the police,” a senior police officer said.

The police have registered a case of rash and negligent driving. Mangal told the police that he did not realise that Rajiv was sitting behind his vehicle. “He said he checked the rear view mirrors before reversing the mini-truck and honked. He said it was not deliberate as he didn’t see Rajiv,” a senior police officer said.

The police have sent Rajiv’s body for a post-mortem examination. “We have recorded the statement of the driver and the eyewitnesses. Mangal has been placed under arrest and his vehicle seized,” a police officer said.