In a freak accident, a 22-year-old pregnant woman was killed while a 30-year-old woman sustained critical injuries after a car cleaner, while cleaning the Honda city car, accidentally started the car and drove it over the two women in Northwest Delhi’s Ashok Vihar area on Tuesday morning.
Police said that the incident happened around 8 am in the E-block area of Ashok Vihar Phase 1. like every other day, Krishna, a 26-year-old car cleaner was cleaning cars in the area. The accused was cleaning the Honda city car of a businessman Manoj Jain.
“While doing so, he opened the car, placed the keys. His hand accidentally touched the gear of the car. As per the claims made by Krishna, the car was already in gear. In a state of panic, instead of applying breaks, the accused accelerated,” said a senior police officer.
A few metres away, two women — Pooja (22) and Kamlesh (30) were cleaning utensils outside an under construction building.
Eyewitnesses present at the spot informed the police that the speeding car mowed Pooja and Kamlesh and dragged them for a few metres till it came to a halt. locals at the spot rushed to help the injured while the errant driver fled from the spot.
“The injured were first rushed to the Sundar lal Jain hospital where Pooja, who was four months pregnant succumbed to injuries during treatment while Kamlesh, who had sustained severe injuries, was referred to the Trauma Centre where she is said to be in a critical condition. The accused, Krishna was nabbed by police a few hours after the accident,” said Milind Dumbere, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Northwest).
“During sustained interrogation, the accused confessed that he got nervous when the car started moving. Instead of applying brakes, he accelerated the car,” added the senior police official.
Four months pregnant Pooja was washing utensils with Kamlesh when they were mowed down by the speeding car.
A month of a two-year-old child, Pooja lived with her husband Ram Prasad, who work as a security guard. Meanwhile, Kamlesh too lived with her husband in the same building. On the other, the errant car cleaner, Krishna is a native of Gonda in Uttar Pradesh and has been working as a car cleaner for the past five years.
Police further said that they have arrested the accused since he was not carrying a driving license.
Police said that they have registered a case under IPC Sections 279 (Rash driving), 304A (Causing death by negligence) and 338 (Causing grievous hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others) at the Ashok Vihar police station.
According to the police, the accident happened at around 6 am in the Phase-1 area of Ashok Vihar. “While cleaning the car, Krishna allegedly moved the gear and the car started speeding. Unable to control the speed, he ran over the two women who were washing clothes along the roadside. The deceased has been identified as Pooja while the injured is Kamlesh.