Five-year-old boy among four killed on eastern eway
The driver of the car, 30-year-old Ankit, survived the accident as the air bag on the driver’s seat had inflated during the collision. He is presently undergoing treatment at a Greater Noida hospital, police said.
Four persons, including a five-year-old boy, travelling in a Swift Dzire car were killed in a suspected hit-and-run accident around 1.45am on the Eastern Peripheral Expressway in Greater Noida on Saturday.
The driver of the car, 30-year-old Ankit, survived the accident as the air bag on the driver’s seat had inflated during the collision. He is presently undergoing treatment at a Greater Noida hospital, police said.
According to police, the deceased and victims were returning after paying homage to Khwaja Garib Nawaz Dargah in Ajmer, Rajasthan, Friday. The deceased have been identified as Pankaj alias Kanhaiya Verma (30), Khalil (35), Iqbal(38) and his five-year-old son Ishaan.
Ishaan was rushed to AIIMS Trauma Centre in New Delhi where he died during treatment. The driver Ankit (30) informed the police and relatives that their vehicle was hit by a truck. The silver Maruti Swift Dzire belonged to Pankaj.
According to Pankaj’s family members, he had a lot of faith in Ajmer Sharif dargah and this was his third visit to the shrine. All five persons lived in Shikarpur town in Bulandshahr district. Pankaj was a jeweller and Iqbal was his close friend. Iqbal wanted to take his son to Ajmer dargah for Friday prayers and asked for Pankaj’s car for the journey.
Pankaj decided to join them and the five left for Ajmer Thursday and were on their way back to Shikarpur on Saturday morning.
“Pankaj had made multiple visits to Ajmer as he had a lot faith in the shrine. He was friends with Khalil and Iqbal. Iqbal took his son also along to pay homage at the shrine. It’s a huge loss for the family and we still can’t believe that this happened to them. He is survived by his wife and four children,” Subhash Chandra, Pankaj’s relative, said.
The incident took place near Aurangpur village on Eastern Peripheral Expressway. Dankaur police was informed by the ambulance and a police patrolling vehicle. The accident site was just one kilometre from a petrol pump and people working there informed the police patrolling vehicle and called the ambulance.
“The driver told us that their car was hit by a heavy vehicle. A complaint has been lodged and investigations are ongoing to find the culprit. There is a possibility that the driver fell asleep. The accident was so severe that the car toppled and skidded a few metres before coming to a halt. All four deceased sustained severe head injuries,” Jitendra Singh, investigation officer, said.
Police has registered a case under sections 279 (rash driving), 338 (causing grievous hurt), 427 (mischief) and 304 A (causing death by negligence) of the Indian Penal Code. A case has been registered against unknown person on Chandra’s complaint.