In a bloody prelude to the Road Safety Week starting on Sunday, two persons lost their lives late on Saturday night when a SUV collided with a Maruti car in Patel Nagar area. The accident occurred near Niranjanpur mandi at 2.30 am when a fast moving SUV hit a car coming from opposite direction. The driver of the SUV tried to run away from the accident site but a late night promptness by the police ensured that he was arrested. The police team chased the vehicle and arrested the SUV driver Yashpal Singh (52) from Motharawala area of the city. Singh is in construction business and was returning to the city from Delhi.
The in-charge of Patel Nagar police station, B D Uniyal said that in the accident Balawala resident, Shyam Singh (65) and his wife Ratni Devi died while the driver of the car, Pratap Singh sustained serious injuries. He said that driver of the SUV, Singh was found to be in a inebriated state at the time of accident. A case is lodged against the SUV driver.
It is worth mentioning here that the capital police and district transport department are undertaking a Road safety week from Sunday to emphasize safe driving. A major accident involving death of elderly couple on very first day of the safety week also exposes poor preparedness of the police for the drive. It is believed that the accident could have been averted had the policemen checked the SUV driver for alcohol while entering the city.