New Delhi, Feb 17 (IANS) The mother of a 23-year-old man who lost his life in a car crash in Delhi’s Dwarka on February 3 has alleged that the 17-year-old accused was filming social media reels while speeding his SUV moments before the fatal collision.
Sahil Dhaneshra was killed after a Scorpio, allegedly driven by the minor, rammed his motorcycle head-on near Lal Bahadur Shastri College around 12 p.m. The impact also led to a collision with a roadside parked cab, leaving its driver seriously injured.
The accused, who did not possess a driving licence, was apprehended and produced before the Juvenile Justice Board (JJB), which sent him to an observation home.
He was later granted interim bail on February 10 to enable him to appear for his Class 10 board examinations.
Speaking to IANS, Sahil’s grieving mother, Inna Makan, questioned the handling of the case and demanded accountability.
“The entire world is questioning the administration, not just me. Recently, someone died in Janakpuri — he would have been someone’s child, father, son, or brother. You can see for yourself, look through all the newspapers and news reports. There is a lot to hold the administration accountable for,” she said.
Makan alleged that the minor and his sister were recording videos while driving at high speed.
“On the day of the accident, the Scorpio driver, the boy and his sister were making fun reels while driving the car, making the reels showing off the speed. The sister herself shot the reel and even posted it on social media,” she claimed.
Expressing anguish over the legal proceedings, the mother stated that she had been informed the case had been transferred to the juvenile system, but questioned the absence of the minor’s father.
“I was told that the case was sent to the juvenile system, but the whereabouts of the father are still not disclosed. The boy got interim bail for his Board exams. Where is the father? In a juvenile case, the father is responsible, and he is nowhere to be found. This is not acceptable to me,” she said.
According to Makan, the driver remained focused on recording reels and failed to apply the brakes even after the initial collision.
She claimed the force of the crash caused extensive damage to the bus and the parked car, and left a taxi driver who was resting nearby with severe injuries.
Delhi Police confirmed that the accused is 17 years old. Initially, investigators sought to try him as an adult, and his age was recorded as 19 years in the FIR.
However, identification documents later submitted by the family’s lawyer established that he was a minor. The minor’s father was detained during the investigation but was subsequently released.
Police said the father would be named in the chargesheet under relevant provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act.
A case has been registered under Sections 281 (rash driving), 106(1) (causing death by negligence) and 125(a) (act endangering life or personal safety of others) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
At the scene, police found the Scorpio, the motorcycle and a cab in a severely damaged condition. Sahil was declared dead on the spot. The injured cab driver, identified as Ajit Singh, was taken to IGI Hospital, and his final medical opinion is awaited.
Recalling the incident, Singh told IANS, “I had parked my car on the left side, close to the curb, because I was about to have food and buses as well as college vehicles were parked there. A Scorpio vehicle came from behind. First, it hit the bike, which I saw in the mirror. As I got down, the driver hit my car as well, pushing it into a bus ahead.”
He added, “Some people took me out of my car and took me to the hospital… The doctors told me that I have to take bed rest for the next three months. My ribs are fractured, and there is a major injury to my head.”
During the probe, investigators confirmed that the Scorpio was being driven by the minor and that he did not hold a valid driving licence.
All three vehicles involved have been seized and mechanically inspected, and CCTV footage from the area has been collected as part of the ongoing investigation.
Police said further investigation into the matter is underway.
–IANS
sd/uk