2 Held For Crushing Gurugram Motorist To Death With Thar

Two days after a 34-year-old motorcyclist was mowed down by a speeding Thar on the Rajokri flyover in southwest Delhi, police apprehended a 30-year-old software engineer and detained his friend in connection with the case, officials said on Saturday.

Police said the victim, Sarthak Mattoo, was a Gurugram resident and was heading to Noida for wok when the Thar overtook his two-wheeler and hit his vehicle, crushing him under its wheels.

The accused fled the spot and a PCR vehicle took the victim to the Indian Spinal Injuries Centre in Vasant Kunj, where he was declared dead on arrival.

Deputy commissioner of police (southwest) Amit Goel said, “During the investigation, we analysed multiple CCTV camera footage and mapped the route taken by the car. We traced the alleged offending vehicle, a Mahindra Thar, which was found to be registered in the name of a Bengaluru-based private company. We found that the SUV had been leased to Sagar Saha (29) who was employed with the company and posted in Bengaluru.”

Police said they picked up Saha, who stays in Gurugram, on Thursday, following which he told police that a colleague, Apurv Singh, 30, of Ghazipur in Uttar Pradesh, who works as a software tester, was behind the wheel at the time of the incident.

“Saha was seated in the front passenger seat when the collision occurred. We seized the Mahindra Thar as part of the investigation and apprehended Apurv Singh on Saturday. His medical examination was conducted at Safdarjung Hospital,” the DCP said.

Meanwhile, Mattoo’s family held the car driver responsible, saying that Mattoo was even wearing a helmet at the time of the incident.

He said that Mattoo would have turned 34 on Saturday and questioned how police could find traces of alcohol in the blood of the accused, after a delay of 50 hours.

The victim’s father also appealed to the police and government to ensure justice in the case.

The Delhi Police denied the allegation, saying that the accused were taken for blood tests as soon as they were apprehended.

Reports are awaited, said the police, adding that they are yet to conclude on the reason behind the accident.

A senior police officer said that, according to Singh and Saha’s accounts, they overtook the motorbike when the motorbike hit the car and the rider fell on the road. The officer said a probe is underway to ascertain all the details.