Anjali Singh, who died after being dragged by a car for 12 km in the early hours of this New Year, was screaming for help and the men in the vehicle knew that she was stuck under the car, the victim’s friend, Nidhi, who was with her on that fateful night when their two-wheeler collided with the killer vehicle, told news channels on Tuesday. She even claimed that the accused had tried to run the car over her.
Narrating the horrific incident, the eyewitness said after the impact, her friend Anjali Singh got stuck under the car and was dragged by the vehicle, with its occupants not once trying to slow down or save the woman.
“They drove forward and back twice. Forward and back. Twice. She was on her back. Probably got stuck into something. So they went forward and back. Then they just went ahead, dragging her under the car," Nidhi added, recalling the traumatic event in vivid detail. Anjali's friend said she did not inform anyone about the accident as she was scared and feared that she would be blamed for it.
Narrating the sequence of events that night, the eyewitness said that she had a fight with Anjali over riding the two-wheeler outside the hotel where they met their friends and attended a New Year.
Anjali, threatened to jump from the moving two-wheeler if she was not allowed to drive her scooter, her friend claimed.
"We left the hotel at around 1.45 am. She (Anjali) wanted to ride the scooty but I said no I will ride it. After we left and were on the move, Anjali said she would jump from the two-wheeler if she was not allowed to drive. It is my scooty and I will drive it she told me," the friend claimed.
"I gave her the scooty. After traversing some distance, we nearly hit a truck. Although I was sitting behind, I somehow managed to apply the brakes. We left that spot after that and moved ahead. But another car hit our scooter. Anjali got stuck under the vehicle while I fell on the other side of the road," she claimed. I received minor injuries on the eyes but Anjali got stuck under the car, she said.
"The car did not stop. The vehicle went ahead and then reversed and then went forward again at high speed. No music was playing in the car," she said. Nidhi claimed that the accused inside the car knew that the woman was stuck under their vehicle but despite that, they kept dragging her and never even stopped once to save her.
Asked why she did not inform Anjali's mother or police, she said she was scared and feared that she would be blamed for it.
"I got scared. All blame would have come on me, so I kept quiet but the car occupants even didn't stop or tried to save her. I cannot forget what happened on that night..," she added.
Earlier in the day, the Delhi Police recorded the statement of Nidhi. The deceased Anjali had gone out with Nidhi on the New Year night. At the time of accident, when their scooty and the car collided, the deceased fell on the side of the car while her friend fell on the other side of the road following which Nidhi went straight to home, as per sources.
During the investigation, the police found a register in the hotel in which the deceased as well as her friend's name was written at time of check in and check out. It was clear from the location of the CDR and the CCTV footage that the victim’s friend was present with her that night at the time of the incident.
According to Special Commissioner of Police (Law and order Zone II), Sagarpreet Hooda , since she was scared, she fled when the accident took place leaving her friend behind.
"So, now we have an eye witness to the incident and she is cooperating with the police. We are getting her statement recorded under section 164 CrPC. This is a significant development in the incident. "This will be an important evidence for us to get the accused punished," Hooda said.
"Investigation is still underway. It is at primary stage and multiple angles are being probed. We are hopeful of completing the investigation soon and we will ensure that the accused get strictest punishment," he added.