Days after 23-year-old Sahil Dhaneshra lost his life in a tragic SUV crash in Delhi’s Dwarka, the father of the accused on Tuesday expressed deep grief and took responsibility, saying the vehicle involved belongs to their commercial transport business.
The driver at the time of the crash was 17-year-old Akshatra Singh, who has been detained. The post-mortem report revealed that Sahil died on the spot with a fractured skull, multiple ribs, and a broken elbow due to the collision with the Scorpio SUV.
Delhi Police have also registered a case against the accused’s father under the Motor Vehicles Act, holding him accountable for the incident.
Father of accused issues apology, pledges cooperation
The father, who runs a transport business, said he was not in Delhi when the accident occurred. “My wife informed me about the accident. I didn’t know my son was driving,” he said, adding that his son was on his way to drop his sister. “I deeply regret what happened. I can only imagine the pain of the victim’s family.”
He further stated that he would fully comply with the law. “My son and daughter were in the car. I run a commercial vehicle business, and the vehicle is used in that business. The challan on the vehicle is related to our drivers, not my son. This is a heartbreaking incident,” he told news agencies.
He added, “The entire family is deeply disturbed and grieving. We have cooperated with the police and provided all required documents. I was unaware that my daughter was making a video; it wasn’t a reel, just a short clip.”
Dwarka SUV crash: What happened?
The crash occurred around 11:50 am on February 3 near Lal Bahadur Shastri Institute of Management in Sector 11. The Scorpio hit a Yamaha R15 motorcycle, killing Sahil on the spot, and then collided with a parked Swift Dzire, injuring cab driver Ajit Singh.
The driver was apprehended immediately, and a case was registered under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections 281 (rash driving), 106(1) (negligence causing death), and 125(a) (endangering life).
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Dwarka) Ankit Singh said the father of the minor driver has been booked under Section 199A of the MV Act, 1988, which holds guardians responsible when a juvenile commits a traffic offence. “Initially, the boy lied about his age. Now, based on the findings, his father will be chargesheeted under the MV Act,” he added.
The minor was presented before the Juvenile Justice Board on February 4 and sent to an observation home. On February 10, he was granted interim bail for his Class 10 board exams.
Sahil’s mother described her son’s death as caused by a “reckless teen,” just 10 minutes away from his workplace. Dhaneshra, who worked part-time at an insurance firm, had plans to study in the UK later this year. “My son lay on the road for 10 minutes before help arrived. I want strict action against the boy. He should not have been driving,” she said. (Agency)
