New Delhi: A 23-year-old motorcyclist, out on joyride, was killed in a head-on collision with an SUV with a “BJP sticker” driving in the wrong direction in Gurugram near Delhi on Sunday morning. The accused was released on bail as the offence is bailable under Motor Vehicle Act.
The victim, identified as Akshat Garg, was on a motorcycle ride with his friend on Golf Course Road near Belvedere Park, DLF Phase II when the fatal collision occurred. The vehicle has a "BJP sticker" in the name of Gaurav Gautam – BJP candidate from Palwal – was driven by a social media manager, who has been identified as Kuldeep Kumar Thakur, police officials said.
It is not clear if Thakur is associated with the BJP.
The incident took place at around 5:45 AM on Sunday morning, according to police officials. Reportedly, Garg was wearing safety gear, including a helmet and gloves, at the time of the fatal crash.
The accident was captured on action camera of the victim's friend and colleague, Pradyuman Kumar, aged 22, who was following him on another motorcycle from a distance of about 100 feet.
The FIR was registered under BNS sections of rash and negligent act not amounting to culpable homicide, and under 281, 106(1), 324(4) and 166 of the Motor Vehicles Act.
Recently, Gurugram initiated a groundbreaking move to curb rash driving and enhance road safety in the city. The Gurugram Police deployed drones equipped with state-of-the-art optical cameras on the Delhi-Gurugram Expressway to identify and fine violators. The drones not only identified the license plate numbers of the violators with remarkable precision but also informed the cops deployed at the end of the road if a rule has been flouted, after which the vehicle is stopped and fined. Even if they are unable to stop the vehicle, the fine is issued based on the license plate captured by the drone.
The initiative comes as a response to the rising number of road accidents. According to traffic police data, 800 people sustained injuries in the 945 accidents that were recorded in Gurugram between January 1 and December 19.
In India itself, about eighty thousand people are killed in road crashes every year which is thirteen percent of the total fatality all over the world. Almost 32 % of total accident deaths in the country were reported in urban areas.