Delhi/Mumbai: Twin tragedies in Delhi and Mumbai claimed the lives of a pair of 18-month-old children.
In a tragic coincidence, both toddlers were crushed to death by speeding cars within a few hours of each other.
On Sunday morning, a toddler was playing outside his house at Mukhmelpur village, Alipur, in outer Delhi when a car ran him over. According to Nidhin Vansal, DCP (Outer North Delhi), a 15-year-old was on the wheels of the vehicle, which belongs to his 23-year-old brother.
The minor boy tried to escape, but was caught by locals and handed over to the police.
A case has also been registered against the owner of the vehicle, the DCP said.
In the earlier incident, 18-month-old Vardaan and his mother were hit by a vehicle when they were sleeping on the pavement of Rafi Ahmed Kidwai Marg in Mumbai’s Wadala area on Saturday night.
According to an official of Rafi Ahmed Kidwai Marg police station, 29-year-old Priya Nikhil Londhe and her child were in their sleep when a speeding car climbed the pavement and crushed the two.
“The child died instantaneously while locals rushed the mother to the hospital in a critical condition. The car was also stopped by locals and the driver handed over to police,” the cop said, adding that a medical test of the driver, Kamal Vikas (46) did not reveal any trace of alcohol in his blood.
The driver didn’t make any attempt to escape, and police are trying to find whether Vikas fell asleep on the wheels or his vehicle malfunctioned. The vehicle will be sent for mechanical tests.
Both Mumbai and Delhi have been witness to their share of such accidents. Even Bollywood superstar Salman Khan was accused of running over five pavement dwellers in Mumbai in 2002. The charges against him were subsequently dropped due to lack of evidence.
