The Bhopal police on Sunday arrested Umar (22) and Shahrukh (23) for ramming their car into devotees who were part of a Durga Puja idol immersion procession.
While Umar was in the driving seat, Shahrukh was in the passenger seat. The duo had come for dinner at a hotel near the Bhopal railway station and returning home when they mercilessly crashed their car into devotees.
As many as six people were injured in the horrific incident that took place on Saturday late at night at Bajaria area near the railway station.
https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1449568938216411139?ref_src=twsrc%5EtfwWhile speaking to media on the arrest, Irshad Wali, Deputy inspector general of police Bhopal confirmed, “The car driver has been arrested and the vehicle has been seized. Further investigation is underway.” A case under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 279 (rash driving) and 337 (causing hurt) has been registered against the accused.
‘Accused hurled abuses before ramming into people’
Narrating the incident, Raju Rohit, 30, a resident of Chandbad area and president of Durga Samiti of Chandbad in his complaint revealed that the accused were asked to take an alternate route due to the procession but instead they hurled abuses and forced their way into the procession.
“We had booked a band from Chandbad to the railway station and as we stopped near the platform number 1, a speeding car came from the bridge side and hit a member of the samiti who was drinking near a tea shop along with other members,” said Raju.
“We had told the car driver that the road is narrow and that the procession is passing through and advised him to take another route. But he refused and hurled abuses before running into the procession,” he added further.
The resident said that as the accused was being stopped by the cops, he again accelerated the vehicle in reverse gear and mowed down three other members of the samiti.
Reportedly, a heavy police force had to be deployed to prevent a law and order situation as the devotees had blocked the road demanding immediate action. The police had to use ‘mild force’ to disperse the crowd to bring the situation under control.
Accused claimed ‘was afraid of the mob’
Investigating officer SI Ankit Baghel informed that during interrogation, the two accused claimed that they feared a backlash from the mob after hitting a person and hence reversed the vehicle in a bid to flee the spot.
Both Umar and Shahrukh work at a private firm.
Car rams into people in Chhattisgarh
Bhopal’s incident comes just days after devotees at Durga Visarjan procession were crushed under a speeding car in Chhattisgarh leaving at least one person dead. At least 20 people were left injured in the incident.
A chilling video of the disturbing incident that has gone viral on the internet showed a speeding car running over an unsuspecting group of people gathered for Durga Idol immersion on Raigad Road in Pathalgaon, Jaspur.