Ghaziabad: 19-year-old from Gurugram arrested for car crash on DME

Police have arrested a 19-year-old law student from Gurugram for allegedly hitting nine people, killing a 12--year-old girl and injuring eight others, while speeding on the Delhi-Meerut Expressway near Masuri, Ghaziabad, on Thursday, officers aware of the matter said on Saturday.

The incident happened when the accused rammed his Verna car into an Eeco van from the rear. Police identified the accused as Mayank Yadav, 19, a resident of Gurugram.

The victims, part of a family, were heading from Haridwar to Morbi, Rajkot (Gujarat). As a result of the impact, the van fell off the highway, police said.

Police said the wounded people were taken to community health centre in nearby Dasna by the locals. Doctors at the health centre declared the girl dead on arrival.

“He is a law student and was accompanied by a woman when the accident occurred. Both fled the spot, leaving the car bearing a Haryana registration number. Following his arrest, Yadav told police that he was headed to Neem Karoli Baba ashram (near Nainital), and, forgot the direction midway,” said assistant commissioner of police (Masuri/Muradnagar) Naresh Kumar.

“He (Mayank) said that he took a turn on to the Meerut-Ghaziabad carriageway and later the car crashed into the Eeco van. The car was found to be registered in his mother’s name,” the officer added.

On the complaint of Hitesh Kumar, one of the injured, police registered an FIR under sections 279 (rash and negligent driving) and 304a (causing death by negligence) of the IPC at Masuri police station.