New Delhi, April 6 The masked man who drove an SUV into the Delhi Assembly premises on Monday, hit an e-rickshaw outside and crashed into a gate on the way in at a very high speed, eyewitnesses said.
The car appeared to be moving at around 60 to 70 kmph, said the e-rickshaw driver whose vehicle was hit. After entering the assembly premises around 2 pm, the man placed a flower bouquet in the speaker's vehicle parked on the porch before fleeing at a similarly high speed.
"I had parked my e-rickshaw outside Gate No. 2 of the Vidhan Sabha and was waiting for customers near the metro gate when I heard a loud crash as the car hit the iron gate," said Gaurav, the e-rickshaw driver. He usually ferries passengers between the Vidhan Sabha Metro station and Majnu ka Tila.
By the time he reached his vehicle, a crowd had gathered, he said.
He said the e-rickshaw was damaged in the incident: a part of the rear portion of his e-rickshaw came apart, the tail light was shattered and the handle got bent.
"I won't even get any claim for the repairs," he said with a sigh, estimating that the repair would cost around Rs 4,000.
The driver further said that a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel present at the gate tried to alert police and other authorities when the car broke in but it fled before they could respond.
Police have detained three people, including the driver, identified as Sarabjeet Singh, and seized the vehicle from north Delhi.
Singh, 37, is believed to be a "follower of the Kisan Andolan (farmers' agitation)". He has shared several posts on social media platforms expressing support for farmer leaders who lost their lives during the 2020-21 agitation. Some of this content was later deleted either by him or by the original posters.
Police said that a thorough sweep of the assembly premises by multiple teams, including a bomb disposal squad, found nothing suspicious.
"It is too early to comment on the motive. The accused is being questioned and we are probing all angles," police said, adding that the entire incident took place within five to seven minutes.
A senior police officer said that Singh drove the vehicle in a "dangerous manner with apparent intent to run over security personnel on duty, thereby endangering their lives".
The SUV, bearing a Uttar Pradesh registration from Pilibhit, rammed through Gate No. 2 around 2 pm. It approached from the Delhi University side, took a sharp turn, broke the boom barriers, and entered the premises, police said.
An assembly official said the breach raised serious concerns about the security at the Vidhan Sabha.
"The car managed to break through a closed gate and remained parked inside for nearly five minutes without raising an alarm," the official said.
The assembly has six gates. Gate No. 2 is designated for VIP movement and is usually opened only during special events, while Gate No. 1 and the service gate handle regular access, he added.
A case has been registered at Civil Lines under appropriate sections of law, including attempt to murder, criminal trespass with preparation to commit offence, use of criminal force against a public servant, and Section 3 of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, along with other relevant provisions pertaining to obstruction of public servants in discharge of duty.
