Jammu Thar horror: Who is Manan Anand, the 'privileged brat' who rammed elderly man twice?

Manan Anand

The name Manan Anand is now at the centre of a shocking and brutal hit-and-run case that has left an elderly man fighting for his life and a city in disbelief. Identified as the absconding driver of a Mahindra Thar that crushed a scooter rider twice in broad daylight, 20-year-old Manan is now facing charges of attempted murder, FPJ reported.

A resident of Jammu’s Nanak Nagar, Manan is an engineering student and the son of Rajinder Anand, who has since been detained by Jammu Police. As the outrage grows over viral CCTV footage that captured the horrifying sequence near Green Belt Park in Gandhinagar on Sunday afternoon, questions are being raised about Manan’s apparent impunity and the influence that may have emboldened such reckless violence.

The incident reportedly occurred around 1.30 pm on July 27, when Manan’s SUV (JK02DP-9594) struck an elderly man riding a scooter (JK02BS-6435) near Allora Textiles. The victim was flung onto the road. But what followed, as caught clearly on video, stunned even the most seasoned viewers - the Thar reversed with force and rammed the fallen man again before speeding away from the scene.

The victim remains in a critical condition at GMC Jammu’s ICU with a skull fracture and possible brain haemorrhage. “Our father was hit twice by the person driving the Thar. Murder charges should be slapped against him... He is very critical,” the victim’s son was quoted by India Today.

As per FPJ, the Jammu Police initially filed FIR No. 163/2025 under Sections 281 and 125(a) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Following public uproar and the emergence of damning footage and eyewitness accounts, Section 109 - attempt to murder - was also added.

In a tweet on Sunday evening, Jammu Police stated:

“Following the Thar-scooty collision near Green Belt Park, Gandhi Nagar on 27.07.2025… the Thar was seized, its owner detained & hunt is on to nab the absconding driver.”

Manan’s whereabouts remain unknown at the time of writing, prompting intensified efforts from law enforcement to apprehend him. The vehicle has been seized and is currently undergoing mechanical inspection as part of the investigation.

While little else is publicly known about Manan’s academic or personal life, his name is now widely discussed on social media platforms, with netizens branding him a “privileged brat” and demanding accountability after CCTV footage captured him deliberately reversing his Thar over the elderly scooter rider in the horrifying hit-and-run.

Many users shared the footage, calling for swift justice. The video’s circulation has amplified demands for stricter punishment under the new criminal code. “Hit-and-run cases were unheard in Jammu. These things happen in Delhi and other places. Strong action must be taken against the culprit,” the victim’s son was cited by India Today, echoing a sentiment of shock that such brutality could unfold in their city.