A tragic hit-and-run incident in Gurgaon's upscale DLF-2 area has claimed the life of a 58-year-old cyclist, exposing a shocking case of negligence. The accused driver, who fled the scene, was operating the vehicle without a valid driving licence.
The Fatal Morning Ride on Akashneem Marg
The victim, Amitabh Jain, a former chemist shop owner from Delhi's Malka Ganj and a resident of Bougainvillea Marg, was on his regular morning cycle ride. At around 7 am on Wednesday, he was cycling on the side of the internal road on Akashneem Marg. Despite the road being empty and having ample space, a white Hyundai Santro car struck him from behind at speed.
CCTV footage later recovered by police clearly showed the car hitting Jain from behind, dragging him for several meters, and then speeding away from the spot without stopping. Passersby rushed the severely injured Jain to Max Hospital, but he succumbed to his internal injuries by 9 am.
The Unlicensed Driver and His Deceptive Spin
Police investigation led to the arrest of the driver, identified as Sahil (22), a native of Jharkhand living in a rented flat in Faridabad. Sahil worked as housekeeping staff at MGF Mall. The car belonged to a bouncer who is also employed at the same mall and lives in Fatehpur Beri.
According to police, Sahil convinced the bouncer to lend him his car under the pretext of fetching a pack of cigarettes. After buying the cigarettes, Sahil took a detour into DLF-2, assuming the lanes would be empty in the early hours. While speeding on Akashneem Marg, he failed to slow down near a speed breaker, leading to the catastrophic collision with Jain.
Cover-Up Attempt and Police Crackdown
Upon returning to the mall, Sahil lied to the car owner about a fresh dent, claiming a cyclist had merely brushed against the vehicle. His story began to unravel when Gurgaon police meticulously analysed CCTV footage from multiple cameras across DLF-2, tracking the Santro's movements before and after the incident.
A police team first visited the bouncer's home in Fatehpur Beri on Thursday afternoon and later interrogated him at MGF Mall. He confirmed Sahil had taken his car on Wednesday morning. Based on the evidence, Sahil was arrested late on Thursday night.
Aftermath and Legal Action
The incident has devastated the Jain family. Amitabh Jain's wife is a senior conservator at the Parliament Museum. Their children work in London and Bengaluru. Relatives mentioned that Jain was an avid cyclist who had recently returned from a bike trip to Jaipur.
An FIR has been registered against Sahil at the DLF-2 police station under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS):
- Section 281: Rash driving or riding on a public way.
- Section 106: Causing death by negligence.
- Section 105: Culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
- Section 324(2): Mischief causing damage.
The case highlights grave lapses, including driving without a licence and the fatal consequences of reckless driving on city roads, even in relatively empty residential areas.
