Drunk 21-year-old rams car into crowd, scooter in Bhopal; man dead, minor son critical

Bhopal, Aug 19 (IANS) A 35-year-old man was killed and his minor son critically injured after a speeding Innova car being driven by an inebriated youth hit several people before ramming into their scooter in Bhopal’s Kolar area, police said on Wednesday.

The accident occurred around midnight on Tuesday near Ankit Parisar when Shubham Awasthi and his son Madhav were travelling on their scooter, police said.

Kolar police station SHO, Sanjay Soni, said the 21-year-old driver was allegedly heavily intoxicated at the time of the accident.

“The driver was heavily intoxicated. Instead of applying the brakes, he mistakenly pressed the accelerator, causing the car to go out of control,” Soni said.

The speeding vehicle allegedly hit several people on the road before crashing into the scooter. The impact was so severe that the scooter was badly damaged and the father and son were thrown several metres away, police said.

According to police, the accused had borrowed the vehicle from an acquaintance to attend a party. An empty liquor bottle, another liquor bottle, disposable cups and condoms were reportedly found inside the car.

The vehicle’s airbags deployed after the collision, helping the accused escape serious injuries, police said.

The accident triggered anger among bystanders, who allegedly caught the driver and assaulted him. The crowd also damaged the vehicle.

Police reached the spot after being alerted, rescued the accused from the mob and took him into custody.

“The police team reached the spot and rescued the accused from the crowd before taking him into custody. We are examining the evidence and questioning witnesses to ascertain the circumstances that led to the accident,” Soni said.

Awasthi was rushed to a hospital, where doctors declared him dead. His body was sent for post-mortem examination and will be handed over to his family, police said.

His son Madhav sustained critical injuries and is undergoing treatment at a hospital.

Police have launched an investigation into the accident and are examining the circumstances in which the accused allegedly drove the vehicle after consuming alcohol.

–IANS

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