New Delhi, February 14 A 76-year-old man was killed after being hit by an SUV that allegedly skidded and crashed onto the sidewalk near a petrol pump on the service road of National Highway-24 in east Delhi's Gazipur area, police said.
The police received a call regarding the accident at approximately 6 am on Friday. A police team quickly arrived at the location near Gazipur village, where they found a black SUV lying damaged on the sidewalk, they said.
An elderly male pedestrian was found lying on the pavement with severe injuries, a senior police officer said.
Preliminary investigations suggest that the driver lost control of the vehicle after allegedly hitting the divider that separates the main carriageway from the service road. As a result, the SUV skidded and struck the man who was walking along the sidewalk, police said.
The victim was identified as Paik Karmai (76), a native of West Bengal who was residing in Gazipur village. He was working at the flower market in Gazipur and was on his way to work with two colleagues when the incident occurred, police said.
The SUV was being driven by Shrey Kumar (26), a resident of Noida in Uttar Pradesh. He was apprehended at the scene, while the other occupants of the vehicle allegedly fled after the accident, officials said, adding that efforts are underway to identify and locate them.
A forensic team was called to inspect the crime scene and collect evidence.
The body of the deceased was shifted to Lal Bahadur Shastri Hospital for post-mortem and other medico-legal formalities, police said.
Police said a case is being registered under relevant sections of the law, and further investigation is underway to ascertain the exact sequence of events and the role of other occupants present in the vehicle at the time of the accident.
Statements from eyewitnesses are being recorded, and CCTV footage from nearby establishments is being reviewed as part of the investigation, officials said.