A 32-year-old man was seriously injured after a speeding car allegedly hit him while he was crossing a road to collect his birthday cake in Greater Noida earlier this month. Recalling the incident from his hospital bed, Himanshu Rai said the car struck him at a “very high and reckless speed” before fleeing the spot.
As reported by HT earlier, police arrested a 24-year-old management student in connection with the hit-and-run case this week on Wednesday. The suspect, who is originally from Kanpur and lives in Badalpur, was driving a Tata Punch at high speed when it struck Rai.
The incident took place around 4.10am on September 5 near Ek Murti Junction, when the victim, Rai, a resident of Extension Villa in Sector 10, Greater Noida, was crossing the road while holding his birthday cake in his hands.
Rai suffered multiple injuries, including fractures, and was rushed to a nearby private hospital. He is out of danger but remains hospitalised, officers said.
'The car hit me at over 100 km/h'
Rai recalled the incident, which took place on his birthday. Speaking to news agency ANI from his hospital bed, he said, “The car hit me at what appeared to be a speed of over 100 km/h and drove away. The way the car was being driven, it appeared to me that the driver might have been under the influence of alcohol.”
{{/usCountry}}Rai recalled the incident, which took place on his birthday. Speaking to news agency ANI from his hospital bed, he said, “The car hit me at what appeared to be a speed of over 100 km/h and drove away. The way the car was being driven, it appeared to me that the driver might have been under the influence of alcohol.”
{{/usCountry}}He added, “It was my birthday on the 5th, so after work I went out with my wife.”
Rai's wife, Jyoti Mandal, also described the incident in her complaint, according to the FIR accessed by HT. She said the couple had ordered a birthday cake, but the delivery was available only until Ek Murti. They therefore travelled to the junction in their car to collect the order.
In the FIR, Mandal alleged, “We ordered a cake for my husband’s birthday. As the delivery was only available till Ek Murti, we reached the spot in our car. I was inside the vehicle while my husband crossed the road to collect the order. While returning, an unidentified car hit my husband and fled the scene without helping us.”
Mandal subsequently called the police emergency helpline 112 and took her husband to a nearby private hospital, officers said.
CCTV shows collision, police trace suspect
A purported CCTV video of the incident was widely circulated on social media. The footage appears to show a car hitting Rai at high speed, while police said the impact flung him some distance from the spot. HT could not independently verify the authenticity of the video.
Police said their investigation found that the suspect was travelling towards Sector 52 in Noida when the collision occurred. He was subsequently traced and arrested with the help of electronic surveillance.
“A case under sections 125(b) (act endangering life or personal safety) and 281 (rash driving) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita was registered, and further probe is underway,” said Ranjeet Kumar Singh, station house officer, Bisrakh police station.
(With inputs from Arun Singh)