The Delhi Police apprehended a 16-year-old boy on Wednesday for his connection to a fatal hit-and-run incident that resulted in the death of a factory worker in the Samaypur Badli area last Saturday evening.
The minor, who was behind the wheel of a car, allegedly struck the pedestrian and then dragged him for nearly 600 meters before speeding away.
The victim, Sujeet Mandal, 32, a resident of Raja Vihar, was pronounced dead upon arrival at a local hospital by the attending doctors.
According to the senior officer, the incident occurred near the factory where Mandal was employed.
“As per the CCTV footage that was scanned by the investigators, it revealed that Mandal was being knocked down and subsequently became trapped beneath the vehicle,” the officer added in his statement.
In the footage, a cyclist tried to alert the driver to the tragic situation but was ignored. The driver continued driving, dragging Mandal’s body for a considerable distance before it finally got dislodged from under the car, after which the vehicle sped away from the scene.
Later, a passerby saw Mandal’s severely injured body lying by the roadside and informed the police.
Officers, along with the crime team and a forensics expert, came to the crime scene to collect evidence, including a pair of black slippers and blood samples, and conducted a thorough examination of both the collision site and the location where the body was found.
The police used the car’s registration number, which was visible in the CCTV footage, to identify and locate the vehicle. The minor, who is the prime suspect in this case, told the investigators during questioning that he was returning from a mechanic’s shop and took a sudden turn, which led to the accident.
He allegedly claimed that fear of being attacked by a crowd was his reason for fleeing the scene.
A case of culpable homicide not amounting to murder has been registered against the detained juvenile. Mandal’s body was identified by his brother-in-law, Jitesh, and further investigation into this case is ongoing, the senior officer stated.