Thar driver arrested after fatal hit and run near Rajokri flyover
A 30-year-old driver was arrested on Saturday after his speeding Mahindra Thar SUV allegedly rammed a motorcycle from behind near the Rajokri flyover in Delhi, killing a 33-year-old executive who had traveled to Noida for work.
The victim, Sarthak Mattoo, was a resident of Gurgaon’s DLF Phase 4 and worked for an event management company. The incident occurred around 6:30 p.m. on Thursday when Mattoo was returning home on his motorcycle.
According to the First Information Report (FIR), the impact of the collision caused Mattoo's motorcycle to fall on the right side of the flyover. He was rushed to the Indian Spinal Injuries Centre in Vasant Kunj, where doctors declared him brought dead.
The driver of the SUV, identified as Apurv Singh, a resident of Ghazipur in Uttar Pradesh, was arrested on Saturday. DCP Amit Goel stated that a police team rushed to the spot after the accident. The Mahindra Thar involved in the crash has since been seized, and Singh underwent a medical examination at Safdarjung Hospital.
During the investigation, police traced the vehicle to a Bengaluru-based private company. Investigators found that the SUV had been leased to Sagar Saha, 29, an employee of the company originally from Bihar. Saha was traveling in the passenger seat during the accident. During questioning, Saha told police that his friend, Singh, was driving the vehicle at the time of the collision.
The victim's father, Surender Mattoo, 66, expressed deep grief and stated that the family is now seeking justice. He questioned why the occupants of the SUV, whom he described as educated professionals working with multinational corporations, fled the scene. He stated that they should have helped his son and taken him to the hospital, which could have saved his life.
The father also met with DCP Goel to raise concerns regarding a 45-hour delay in conducting blood alcohol tests on the driver. According to the father, the DCP assured him that specialized tests are available to detect trace amounts of alcohol even after such a delay.
Sarthak Mattoo, who held a master's degree from London, would have turned 34 on Saturday. His father recalled buying him an expensive helmet and making him promise to always wear it for safety. Despite wearing the helmet during the crash, he did not survive.
