Noida, Nov 11: Four members of a family of labourers were killed and four others were injured when a speeding car ran them over on the roadside near Sector-39 police station here on Monday night.
According to the police, one Rahul Gupta, a property dealer, was behind the wheel — he was inebriated when the accident occurred around midnight.
Gupta, a resident of Sector-27, was arrested last night, and sent to judicial custody of 14 days on Tuesday morning. While witnesses have said there were three others in the car, the police are yet to confirm details.
The deceased have been identified as Ram Milan (32), wife Sumara (26), son Ashok (6), and nephew Santlal (16). Ram Milan was employed in laying cables for Reliance, an officer said.
The injured persons — Rajesh, Neeraj, Bobby and Bhure — were taken to the district hospital. A doctor there said Bhure and Bobby have been referred to Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi as their condition is critical.
Till 3 am, the police could confirm three deaths — of Ram Milan, Sumara and Ashok. Santlal’s body was found by locals helping police in the rescue work.
“Santlal’s body was in a drain of sewer water along the road where his tent was pitched,” one Pravesh, who works at a shop close to the site, said. “A part of his leg was spotted in the flashlight of media cameras.”
According to the FIR lodged on the complaint of Mehandi, brother-in-law of the deceased, the family was sleeping in their roadside tent when the accident occurred. Neeraj, Bhure and Bobby were in another tent.
The car rammed into a stationary tractor after hitting the tents, the FIR says.
A witness said besides Gupta, three youths and a young woman (who were in the car) fled after the mishap. Gupta, who was behind the wheel, seemingly could not escape since he was inebriated and was caught by the locals and handed over to the police, the witness said.
“The driver is guilty… we could not find who all were with him,” Circle Officer Rajiv Narayan Mishra said.
A case has been registered under IPC Sections 279, 304, 338 and 427 (culpable homicide, causing grievous hurt and rash and negligent driving) against Rahul Gupta in Sector-39 police station.
‘Book him for death by negligence’
Rahul Gupta’s lawyer put an application before the court on Tuesday, saying his client should be booked under Section 304 (A) of IPC — causing death by negligence, and not culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
The application says he should also be permitted to be hospitalised since he sustained injuries in the mishap. The court denied bail to Gupta and sent him to judicial custody.
–Agencies