'Reckless' driving claims life of an auto-rickshaw driver

High-end car hits auto, police suspect drunken driving

A 35-year-old auto-rickshaw driver was killed, when a Delhi University graduate rammed his Mercedes-Benz car into auto-rickshaw at Vasant Kunj area in south Delhi in the early hours of Sunday, police said. According to police, the graduate was arrested from the spot and was under the influence of alcohol.

The accident took place around 2.30 am when Harshneet Marwah, 24, a resident of Green Park Extension, was returning home from a restaurant at Ambience Mall in Vasant Kunj with two friends.

“Harshneet was driving recklessly at high speed when he hit the auto-rickshaw from rear end on the Nelson Mandela Marg,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) Chhaya Sharma.

The impact of the collision was such that the auto-rickshaw was left as a mangled metal, the officer added.

The accident was witnessed by policemen posted at a picket just 100 metres from the spot.

“Our team immediately rushed the bleeding driver to the AIIMS Trauma Centre. However, he was declared brought dead,” Sharma said.

The body of the auto-rickshaw driver, identified as, Lalit Kumar Ojha, 35, a resident of Pahar Ganj, has been sent for post-mortem.

On the other hand, the three men travelling in the car, Harshneet and his friends, Damanjeet Singh and Prayag Raj Prem, did not sustain any injuries due to the car’s airbags.

Influence of liquor

On inspection of the car, the police also found liquor bottles.

“A medical examination has confirmed that three of them were drunk, which also proves that Harshneet was driving under the influence of alcohol,” Sharma added. The police has also arrested Harshneet’s friends.

A case has been registered against Harshneet at the Vasan Kunj North Police Station, under the charges of causing death due to negligent, rash and drunken driving. The police have also seized the car.

The 24-year-old had recently graduated from the Delhi University, while his father is a real estate businessman.

Man held for kidnapping

A 30-year-old man and his four accomplices have been arrested for kidnapping and killing his 10-year-old nephew in New Usmanpur area of north-east Delhi, police said on Sunday.

Ransom call

The boy had gone missing from outside his home in Usmanpur on last Thursday. His family members later received a ransom call of Rs 4 lakhs.

“The family members immediately arranged the money and went to the called spot. However, the kidnappers did not show up,” a senior police officer said.

The family approached the police on Friday.

 After the initial investigation, the police arrested five people working at the factory of the child's father, Ali Hasan.

During interrogation, they told police that a man named Babu Hasan along with his four accomplices had abdudcted the child and later killed him.

On their statement, the police found the child's body in the area on Sunday.

Babu Hasan held after the family members of the child told police that he was a relative and used to work at Ali Hasan's factory. The police is investigating the matter and have sent the body for post-mortem at GTB Hospital.