A 16-year-old boy has been detained by Delhi Police in connection with a fatal hit-and-run incident that resulted in the death of a 32-year-old factory worker in the Samaypur Badli area last Saturday evening.
The minor, who was behind the wheel of a car, allegedly struck the pedestrian and then dragged him for nearly 600 metres before speeding away, a report in TOI detailed.
The victim, identified as Sujeet Mandal, a resident of Raja Vihar, was pronounced dead upon arrival at a local hospital. According to the TOI report, the incident occurred near the factory where Mandal was employed.
The sequence of events was captured on CCTV, footage which later proved crucial for investigators. The video, described as chilling, shows Mandal being knocked down and subsequently becoming trapped beneath the vehicle.
A cyclist is seen attempting to alert the driver to the horrific situation. Ignoring the alerts, the driver continued on his path, dragging Mandal’s body for a significant distance until it became dislodged from underneath the car, after which the vehicle fled the scene.
A passerby later discovered Mandal’s severely injured body lying by the roadside and informed the police. Law enforcement officials who arrived at the scene collected evidence, including a pair of black slippers and blood samples and conducted a thorough examination of both the collision site and the location where the body was ultimately found.
The police used the car’s registration number, visible in the CCTV footage, to identify and locate the vehicle. As reported by TOI, the minor suspect told investigators that he was returning from a mechanic's shop and took a sudden turn, which led to the accident. He allegedly claimed that fear of being attacked by a crowd was his reason for fleeing the scene.
A case of culpable homicide not amounting to murder has been registered against the detained juvenile. Mandal’s body was formally identified by his brother-in-law, Jitesh, as per TOI report. The investigation is ongoing.
The incident bears a tragic resemblance to a previous case reported extensively by the press. On January 1, 2023, a woman succumbed to her injuries after her scooty was hit by a car in Sultanpuri and she was dragged for 11-12 kilometres underneath the vehicle to Kanjhawala.
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