Heavily drunk techie runs over homeless men in W Delhi, 2 die

NEW DELHI: A 23-year-old drunk man ran his car over people sleeping on a pavement in western Delhi’s Rajouri Garden early on Sunday, leaving two dead and two injured, police said.

Devesh, a resident of Paschim Vihar and an employee of a private software company, did not have a driving licence, said Monika Bhardwaj, deputy commissioner of police (west). A medical test found alcohol in his blood was way more than the permissible limit, she said.

Devesh, who was identified by one name, allegedly tried to get out of the car and escape. He even offered money to onlookers who would help him, eyewitnesses said.

“The car driver begged us to open his door (which was jammed) and let him go, but we chose to overturn the car to rescue the people trapped underneath,” said Sonu, an e-rickshaw driver. Noora, 50, and Shukla, 40, (both identified by their first names) died in the accident. Ram Singh, 55 and Manoj, 35, suffered injuries.

Shukla sold tea in front of ESI Hospital in Rajouri Garden. The others drove e-rickshaws and cycle-rickshaws. They were sleeping on a pavement near the Rajouri Garden flyover when the accident took place around 4.30 am.

“We halted autos to rush all of them to a hospital. Police arrived on the spot and took the car driver into custody,” said Sonu.

Ram Singh is out of danger, while Manoj is in a critical condition, police said.

DCP Bhardwaj said that Devesh was booked under the Indian Penal Code’s section 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder).

Devesh told police that he had a few drinks with friends in outer Delhi’s Madipur and drove his Honda Civic towards IGI Airport to meet a woman, who was to land in the morning.

An investigator, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that Devesh’s medical test showed he had 129 mg of alcohol per 100 ml of blood as against the permissible limit of 30 mg.

Babloo Thapa, another e-rickshaw driver, said that the car was travelling at a high speed on the rightmost lane before a sudden brake caused the car to skid. “The car suddenly swerved towards its left and climbed the pavement.”

DEVESH, WHO WAS IDENTIFIED BY ONE NAME, ALLEGEDLY TRIED TO GET OUT OF THE CAR AND ESCAPE