Tractor rams bike, girl dies
Angry locals set vehicle ablaze, pelt stones at cops
Violent protests broke out in outer Delhi’s Aman Vihar area forcing the police to use teargas to disperse the agitated crowd on Saturday morning when a tractor pulling a water tanker hit a motorcycle, killing an 11- year- old girl and injuring three others.
Police officials said the incident took place at around 7.30 am on Mubarakpur Road in front of Hari Dass Vatika when one Kuldeep was taking Gayatri, 11, Sangeet, 9, and Pooja, 11, to their school on his motorcycle.
“A speeding tractor hit his motorcycle from behind. The bike lost control and all the four victims were flung on the road, leaving them seriously injured and profusely bleeding,” a senior police official said.
A large crowd gathered at the spot and a call was made to the police control room.
The victims were rushed to the Sanjay Gandhi Hospital in a PCR van where Gayatri was declared brought dead. As the news of her death spread in the area, the agitated people came out on the roads and blocked the movement of traffic on the main road in Aman Vihar.
Police sources said the crowd started shouting slogans against the Delhi police and alleged that the inaction against speeding drivers was leading to a number of accidents in the area.
The mob then set the tractor on fire and also assaulted a Delhi police head constable who had come to investigate the case.
“A contingent of riot control police was dispatched to the spot to control the crowd and clear the road. The protests, however, turned violent and the agitated crowd started pelting stones at the police personnel, alleging negligence. The police had to use batons and fire teargas canisters to disperse the mob,” a source said.
A number of locals and two police personnel, head constables Ami Lal and Jawahar Singh, were injured in the clashes that followed. In the meantime, senior police officials arrived at the spot and pacified the locals.
The accused driver, Mohammed Shamim, was arrested and he has been charged for causing death due to negligence.
Police officials said the condition of the three injured is reported to be critical.
A separate case of arson and rioting was registered and 12 locals were arrested.