8-year-old among three injured as speeding car bursting crackers rams them over in Noida

A car ran over three persons, including an eight-year-old girl, who were bursting firecrackers on the road outside their apartment block on Diwali on Sunday evening, Noida police said on Monday.

Four police teams have been formed to track down the car that ran over the three persons moments after they lit a firecracker on the road. There was a loud thud followed by cries of shock as the car hit the three persons.

The incident was also captured by a resident on his mobile phone while he was recording the fireworks.

Noida additional deputy commissioner of police (addl DCP) Shakti Mohan Avasthy said the incident took place in front of Eldeco Aamantran Society’s gate number 2 in Sector 119.

The injured have been identified as Vijay Pal Singh, 72, his son-in-law Saurabh Singh, 42, and an eight-year-old girl.

Kamesh Kumar, whose daughter was injured in the accident, said he and his family had stepped out after offering prayers to burst firecrackers and go to a nearby restaurant for dinner with Saurabh Singh, a family friend, invited their child to join them in the fireworks display.

“We were standing around watching the fireworks, when we heard a loud sound. Initially, we suspected that it was a firecracker, but then I spotted Saurabh lying on the road injured. I rushed to help him, and saw that my daughter was also hit by the speeding car,” Kumar said

“Vijay got stuck under the car and got dragged for a few metres, and he sustained multiple injuries. My daughter sustained injuries to her neck, head, lips and back,” said Kumar.

Kumar said more people would have been hurt had the car swerved to the right.

The car drove away drove towards Faridabad-Noida-Ghaziabad (FNG) expressway after the incident and they were unable to stop it.

Manish Khattar, a resident of Eldeco Aamantran, said the car has been spotted around the area three or four times previously. “It was captured by the society’s CCTV cameras but the registration number was unclear.”

Addl DCP Avasthy said four teams have been formed to catch the driver.

“As police received information on the emergency helpline number, a team of Sector 113 police rushed to the spot and registered a case against the unidentified accused car driver

Sector 113 station house officer Sarvesh Singh said they have registered a case under sections 279 (rash driving) and 338 (causing grievous hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others) of the Indian Penal Code.

On Monday evening, Noida police arrested three suspects after using the CCTV footage to identify the registration number of the car. “The suspect has been identified as Vikas Yadav, who was driving the car at the time of the incident and a resident of Sorka under the jurisdiction of Sector 113 police station. His friends Golu Yadav and Dinesh Yadav, were also arrested.” said addl DCP Avasthy.