Cong leader’s SUV runs over pedestrians in Jaipur, 3 dead
A drunk SUV driver speeding down a narrow city road allegedly hit multiple pedestrians and vehicles, killing three persons and leaving six seriously injured, the police said on Tuesday.
As the car moved from the MI Road to the narrow lanes in the Nahargarh area, it mowed down people and vehicles on its way. According to the police, the driver — identified as factory owner Usman Khan (62) — first hit a scooter near the Santosh Mata Temple but continued to drive recklessly, crushing those who had fallen on the road and ramming into more people and vehicles along the way.
The SUV even collided with vehicles parked outside the Nahargarh police station. The police and locals managed to stop the vehicle when it got stuck in a narrow lane. The driver was detained on the spot.
Additional DCP (North) Bajrang Singh Shekhawat said Khan, a resident of Rana Colony in Shastri Nagar, was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the incident.
“He lost control of the SUV and hit most of the victims in an area of around 500 metres near the Nahargarh police station," Shekhawat said.
Accident victims were identified as Virendra Singh (48), Mamta Kanwar (50), Monesh Soni (28), Mohammad Jalaluddin (44), Deepika Saini (17), Vijay Narayan (65), Jebunnisha (50), Anshika (24) and Awadhesh Pareek (37).
All were rushed to Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Hospital, where doctors declared Kanwar and Pareek dead. Later, Singh also died this morning. The hospital authorities said the condition of the injured remains critical, and they have been admitted to the trauma ward of the SMS Hospital.
Soon, the tragedy took on political overtones as the accused turned out to be the Congress’ Jaipur district vice-president. The party has expelled the accused, while the BJP hit out at the Congress, saying that the party was full of people with criminal tendencies.
Following the incident, locals gathered at the Nahargarh police station and blocked roads to protest and demand financial compensation, a government job and other relief for the victims and their kin. As tension spread in the area, the police from four stations were deployed on the Nahargarh road and nearby areas to maintain law and order.
The police said, “Khan owns a factory that manufactures iron beds in the Vishwakarma Industrial Area. A medical examination confirmed that he was heavily intoxicated at the time of the incident. An FIR has been registered against the accused based on a complaint filed by Kanwar’s father.”
A Rajasthan Congress spokesperson said Khan had been expelled from the party. He also said that the Congress had submitted a memorandum to the district administration to take strict action against him.
BJP MLA Balmukundacharya said the victims would get compensation and the accused would be given strict punishment as per the law.”
India