Delhi Police on Monday said that the speeding Thar SUV, which ran over two people in the Chanakyapuri area on Sunday, was found stashed with a large quantity of drugs, including cocaine and LSD, news agency PTI reported.
The accused driver, identified as 26-year-old Ashish Bachchas from Shakarpur in east Delhi, was caught at the spot right after the accident. Police said he is both a drug addict and a supplier. A medical test confirmed that he was driving under the influence of drugs at the time of the crash.
When police searched the Uttar Pradesh-registered SUV, they found commercial quantities of narcotics, 0.30 grams of cocaine, 2.6 grams of LSD, 23.47 grams of MD, 21.26 grams of cannabis, 4.17 grams of charas, 15.49 grams of tobacco, along with Rs 25,000 in cash and a mobile phone.
The accident occurred around 6.30 am on Sunday near Gate Number 3 of Talkatora Stadium, when the Mahindra Thar SUV rammed into the pedestrians. One of the victims was identified as Sujesh Kshetri from Sikkim, while the other victim’s identity is still unknown. Both were rushed to the AIIMS Trauma Centre. One was declared dead on arrival, while the second victim, who was undergoing treatment, died later in the day from his injuries.
Police said they were alerted by a PCR call from a passerby who witnessed the accident. When officers reached the scene, they found the two men lying unconscious and bleeding on the road. The Thar’s bonnet was badly damaged after hitting a pole. An empty liquor bottle was also found inside the car.
Preliminary investigation revealed that Bachchas, who is currently unemployed and had previously worked as a driver, celebrated Raksha Bandhan with his family in Shakarpur on Saturday night before leaving for Gurugram. He was on his way back home when the accident happened.
According to the police, the same vehicle had been fined for over speeding on August 1, with an outstanding fine of Rs 2,000 still unpaid.
A case has been registered under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act at Chanakyapuri police station. The vehicle has been seized, and further investigation is underway to find out where the drugs came from and to reconstruct the exact sequence of events leading to the crash.
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