Luxury car hits teen jogging near Noida, critical; driver arrested

Noida: A 14-year-old boy sustained serious injuries after being hit by a car while jogging on a service road in Noida Extension, with the police arresting the driver of the luxury vehicle, according to officials.

The boy is being treated at a private hospital and his condition is critical, on official said.

The incident took place around 6 am on January 9 near Stellar Jeevan Society in the Bisrakh police station area when the Jaguar car allegedly struck the boy from behind, as per a complaint lodged by the victim's father, Murari Singh.

"My son Neeraj was running on the service road when the Jaguar, driven recklessly, hit him from behind. He sustained serious injuries to his head and chest and is undergoing treatment at a private hospital," Singh has said in his complaint.

A police spokesperson said that following the complaint, an FIR has been registered at the local police station.

"The boy is being treated for his injuries at a private hospital, where his condition remains critical. The vehicle involved and its driver are in police custody, and further investigation is underway," the official added.

According to the police, the erring Jaguar XE is registered in Gautam Buddh Nagar district and its 22-year-old driver has been arrested.

The FIR was lodged under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections 281 (rash driving) and 125b (causing grievous hurt with rash or negligently done act that endangers human life), the spokesperson added.

Recently, taking note of the high number of accidents and casualties caused by them in Uttar Pradesh, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had directed officials to launch large-scale road safety awareness campaigns, especially in schools and colleges.

According to official figures on road accidents available from January to September 2024, the district recorded over 850 crashes that left around 330 dead and over 750 injured.

In 2024, several road accidents involving luxury vehicles occurred in the National Capital Region, including Noida and Greater Noida. On May 16, 2024, a speeding BMW collided with an e-rickshaw near Sector 24 in Noida, resulting in two fatalities and three injuries. The driver was arrested following the incident.

On May 26, a 64-year-old man was fatally struck by a speeding Audi while crossing the road to buy milk near Gijhor village in Sector 53 of the city.

On August 12, a high-speed car crashed into a pole on the Noida-Greater Noida Expressway near Amity University, resulting in the deaths of three passengers.