Truck climbs median in NE Delhi, three die

New Delhi: Three people sleeping on the central verge of a northeast Delhi road were killed, and two others were injured, after a truck ran over them early on Monday morning, police officers said.
Police said the incident took place at Tarbooz Market, near the Shastri Park Metro station. After the incident, the truck driver abandoned his vehicle and fled, officers said, adding that they are trying to identify and nab him.
Deputy commissioner of police (northeast) Joy Tirkey said the injured were identified as Mohammad Mustaq, 35, and Kamlesh (goes by single name), 36, adding that both are currently hospitalised.
Investigators shared the names of only one of the deceased — Mohd Jakir, 35. Local residents identified a second deceased as Prahlad Prasad, 43, though police did not confirm the same.
Giving details of the case, Tirkey said the Shastri Park police station received a call at around 5am about a road accident near the Tarbooz Market. A police team was dispatched to the spot, and learnt that a truck driving from Seelampur towards the Old Iron Bridge lost control, climbed onto the central verge, and ran over five people sleeping on the central verge.
“The injured people were taken to Jag Pravesh Chandra hospital, where three were declared brought dead. Their identities are being established. The other two injured men are undergoing treatment. The truck driver, whose identity is also not known, is absconding,” the DCP said.
The two injured people were later shifted to Guru Teg Bahadur hospital for better treatment.
Mustakim Pradhan, a resident of Kailash Nagar who witnessed the accident, said that around 4.30am, a speeding truck lost control and climbed onto the central verge, on which many labourers were sleeping.
“After the truck driver realised that he had run over people, and saw passersby running towards his vehicle, he drove down the wrong carriageway towards the Metro station, abruptly stopped in the middle of the road, and entered the Metro station’s parking lot. From there, he threw bricks at anyone who tried to catch him, and eventually escaped,” said Pradhan.
Another eyewitness, Mohammad Irfan, said, “Some people chased the truck and tried to catch the driver, but he managed to flee.”
Police have seized the truck, and filed a first information report (FIR) against the yet-to-be-identified driver under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections 281 (rash driving or riding on a public way), 106 (death caused by rash negligence acts), and 125A (rash or negligent act causing hurt, endangering life or personal safety of others) at the Shastri Park police station.
A police officer associated with the case, on condition of anonymity said, “Whether the driver of the truck was drunk, or if he dozed off while driving will only be established once he is caught and interrogated. A mechanical inspection of the truck will also be done to ascertain if any fault in the brakes or its steering system led to the accident.