JOIN US2 killed as SUV falls in canal
Two youths drowned and three others were injured when a joyride turned into a nightmare with a car plunging into Hindon Canal in east Delhi’s New Ashok Nagar on Saturday. An eyewitness claimed that a speeding Renault Duster hit a road divider and a Maruti Omni ambulance before falling in the canal.
Locals helped save three occupants, but 20-year-old Pawan Kumar and his younger brother Deepak, 18, residents of east Delhi’s Trilokpuri, drowned in the canal. The ambulance driver also sustained injuries.
“Pawan and Deepak were in the SUV with friends Kuldeep, Sunny and Ravish. Kuldeep was driving it,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police (East) Ajay Kumar.Police were informed about the accident around 12.10 am.
The SUV was being driven towards New Ashok Nagar Metro station, while the ambulance was coming from Delhi-Noida border.
Staff of a PCR van found the damaged ambulance and were told by locals that the SUV went under the canal.
“We also called Delhi Fire Services and professional divers, but failed to save two occupants of the SUV trapped inside,” another police officer added.
Pawan and Deepak’s bodies were later fished out by the divers and taken to Lal Bahadur Shashtri Hospital.
“They were declared brought dead. The car was later pulled out using a recovery truck,” the officer said.
Kuldeep, Sunny and Ravish were also taken to LBS Hospital before the police team reached there, while the ambulance driver was taken to Dharamshila Cancer Hospital and Research Centre.
He was identified as Chander Nagar-resident Amit Kumar Singh. “Amit was alone in the ambulance,” the officer added.
A case under sections 279 (rash driving), 304-A (causing death by negligence) and 337 (causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others) of the Indian Penal Code has been filed with New Ashok Nagar police station.
After an initial probe, police said 22-year-old Kuldeep, a resident of Trilokpuri Block-11, was driving the SUV.
Out on joyride
Kuldeep and his friends had planned a joyride and he left home with the SUV around 11 pm on Friday.
He first went to Pawan and Deepak’s house in Trilokpuri Block-16. Soon, 20-year-old Sunny and 19-year-old Ravish, also residents of Trilokpuri Block-16, joined them. Investigating officers are probing if Kuldeep was driving under the influence of alcohol.
Pawan was a mechanic, while Deepak worked with a private company in Noida Sector 3.
Their bodies were handed over to family after a post-mortem at LBS Hospital on Saturday afternoon.