Man held after auto driver killed in hit-and-run case
NEWDELHI: A 41-year-old autorickshaw driver was killed after a speeding car hit the threewheeler near Safdarjung Hospital in south Delhi in the early hours of Monday.
Police officials said the man behind the wheel of the SUV involved in the crash allegedly drove away after the accident, but was tracked down and arrested on Tuesday morning.
Delhi Police was able to track the Toyota Fortuner because its front bumper, along with the car’s registration plate, had fallen off at the accident spot.
The accused driver, identified by police as 26-year-old Satvik Pathak, allegedly drove the damaged SUV for more than 20 kilometres to reach his Pitam Pura residence without being stopped by police. Pathak, the son of a businessman, then parked the vehicle at his home, police said.
On Monday around 2.30 am, Pathak was driving home from Noida when he allegedly hit the autorickshaw near Safdarjung Hospital, police officials said. The auto driver, identified as Rohit Mehto, was taken to the hospital by the police where he was declared brought dead. A case was registered and investigation was taken up.
Romil Baaniya, deputy commissioner of police (south), said the police found the car’s registration plate in pieces at the accident spot.
Investigators arrested Pathak on Tuesday after they pieced together the broken number plate and established the vehicle’s registration number.
“We established the ownership of the vehicle and traced his residential address.
The SUV is registered in the name of Lokesh Pathak. His son, Satvik, was driving it at the time of the accident,” said Baaniya, adding the son was booked for rash driving and causing death by negligence. Police said it was not possible to establish if he was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the accident.
The car has been impounded by the police.