A tragic incident occurred on Saturday, August 17, in the Ashram area of southeast Delhi, when a 34-year-old man was fatally struck by a speeding car. The driver, identified as Pradeep Gautam, a 45-year-old resident of Noida, fled the scene after the collision. However, the police were able to identify the car, a Mercedes-Benz, through CCTV footage.
The victim, Rajesh, was a gardener who resided in Madanpur Khadar, Delhi. Originally from Rae Bareli, Uttar Pradesh, Rajesh was cycling on the Ashram flyover towards Nizamuddin at around 8:30 am when the accident took place. A passerby alerted the authorities, who arrived at the scene to find Rajesh lying in a pool of blood. He was rushed to a nearby hospital, but unfortunately, he was pronounced dead upon arrival.
Following the incident, the police registered a case under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (Indian Penal Code) for rash driving and launched an investigation to locate the accused. They analyzed footage from around 12 CCTV cameras, ultimately identifying the suspect vehicle. Using the registration number, the police traced the car’s ownership details through the transport authority.
Subsequent raids led to the arrest of Pradeep Gautam, the driver of the Mercedes-Benz. The car was also seized by the authorities. During the investigation, police discovered inconsistencies in the car’s ownership history, indicating that it had been sold multiple times. The post-mortem examination of the victim is scheduled for Sunday, August 18.
This incident serves as a stark reminder of the dangers posed by reckless driving and highlights the importance of road safety awareness.
