Speeding car mows down three at night naka on Zirakpur border

Three persons, including a police constable and a Home Guard jawan, were killed when a speeding car crashed into them at a checkpoint on the Chandigarh-Zirakpur barrier around 2 am on Friday. The accused was reportedly in an inebriated condition.

Constable Sukhdarshan and Home Guard Rajesh were conducting a night check when they signalled a Baleno car to stop. While both, along with the car driver, identified as Samarth Dua, were standing near the vehicle, a speeding Polo car coming from the Zirakpur side crashed into them.

The impact was so severe that the Baleno was flung to nearly 25 metres. The two cops and Dua died on the spot. The naka in charge, ASI Satnam Singh, said the Polo driver accelerated upon seeing the checkpoint, leading to the crash. The police recovered bottles of liquor and snacks from the vehicle.

The accused driver, identified as Govind, alias Khundu, a resident of Hallo Majra, was travelling with his friends. They sustained injuries and were admitted to the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Sector 32.

On getting information, the police dispatched teams, along with a fire engine, to the spot. A team of the Central Forensic Science Laboratory, Sector 36, also inspected the spot. Dua, who resided on the PU campus and worked as an HR manager with a private company in Gurugram, was returning home to celebrate Holi.

Sukhdarshan is survived by his wife, who is also employed with the Chandigarh Police, and two children. Rajesh leaves behind his wife and child.

Post-mortem examinations were conducted and the deceased’s bodies handed over to their families.

On a complaint filed by ASI Satnam Singh, the police have registered a case under Sections 281 (rash driving), 125-A (act endangering personal safety of others) and 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of the BNS at the Sector 31 police station.

Meanwhile, the police produced Govind before the court and the Judge remanded him in judicial custody.

Victim Dua was coming home for Holi

Samarth Dua, who resided on the PU campus and was employed as HR manager with a private company in Gurugram, was returning home to celebrate Holi with his family.

Contrasting legal action in similar cases

The case registered against the Polo driver is in contrast with the recent accident case involving a speeding Porsche, in which a 26-year-old Activa rider was fatally injured. While the Porsche driver has been booked under Section 106 (causing death due to negligence), a bailable offence, the Polo driver faces the case under Section 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), which is a non-bailable offence.