Garage owner arrested for mowing down restaurant cashier in south Delhi

Accused, 23, was driving a luxury car; he hit the victim and fled fearing arrest, say police

A 23-year-old garage owner was arrested on Wednesday from Uttam Nagar for mowing down a 46-year-old man in south Delhi’s East of Kailash on Sunday night, the police said.

The accused has been identified as Shubham Jain and the car he was driving has been recovered from near his house in Uttam Nagar.

The deceased, Ranjan Kumar, a resident of Malviya Nagar, worked as a cashier at a restaurant. He was lying unattended on the road for three hours after the accident, the police said.

DCP (South) Benita Mary Jaiker said a call was received at 5:09 a.m. regarding a hit-and-run case near pillar number 69 in East of Kailash, following which, the police reached the spot and found the victim with injuries on his legs, hands and head. The police recovered some broken parts of a car’s bumper.

Kumar was shifted to AIIMS where he succumbed to his injuries. A case under Section 279 (rash driving) and 304A (causing death due to negligence) under Indian Penal Code was registered.

While checking CCTV footage, the police spotted a red luxury car and found out details about its owner, a Mumbai-based man, who said his brother had given the car to a garage for repair.

Jain, who also deals in spare parts of old luxury cars, allegedly told the police that he, along with his brother and a female friend, was returning from Nehru Place around 2.30 a.m. on Sunday when he hit Kumar, who was waiting for an auto. They fled the spot fearing arrest, said the police, adding that warrants have been issued against Jain’s brother, Vaibhav, 27, and the 23-year-old female friend.

Sole breadwinner

Kumar’s son, Amritesh Kumar Anand, 21, said his father was working at the restaurant for the last 20 years. He would leave for home every day after 1 am. “On Sunday a food delivery executive who knew Kumar spotted him lying injured on the footpath,” he said.

Kumar was the sole breadwinner of the faimily, Anand said, adding that they undergoing financial constraints and have several loans to repay. Kumar earlier travelled on his bike but eight days ago it was stolen from outside the restaurant, forcing him to travel via autorickshaw, said Anand.