New Delhi: A PCR van was seen close behind the Baleno car minutes after it hit 20-year-old Anjali Singh’s scooter and dragged her for several kilometres in the early hours of New Year in Delhi, ThePrint has learnt.
Sources told ThePrint that the PCR van was around 50-100 metres behind the Baleno. CCTV footage accessed by ThePrint also shows the PCR behind the Baleno.
Sources in the Delhi Police confirmed to ThePrint that while this PCR van was behind the Baleno, the staff failed to notice the woman stuck under the vehicle.
A senior police officer who didn’t want to be named told ThePrint that the PCR van had gone to investigate a complaint about an incident of hooliganism on the same stretch.
“They were 50-100 meters behind this Baleno. While returning, the scooty was noticed, crime scene photos were taken and it was reported at the police station. However, since no victim was found, the local police assumed that the victim must have gone to the hospital,” the officer said.
However, soon after the police were informed, as many as three police vans set off to trace the car along the 12-km route along which Anjali was dragged. Additionally, over nine other PCR vans and motorcycles in nearby areas were alerted.
Singh, the sole bread earner of her family, was killed after she was dragged under the vehicle for a stretch of around 12 km. According to the police, the accused men in the car were intoxicated at the time of the accident.
While the accident took place around 2:05 am in Sultanpuri area, Singh’s body was found only around 4:20 am in Kanjhawala area of Rohini district in Delhi.
A number of CCTV footage have surfaced after the accident, including one in which she can be seen stuck under the vehicle while the accused took several U-turns. A different footage shows Singh leaving a hotel with her friend, Nidhi, and yet another in which the latter can be seen returning home that night.
The police have officially said that only two PCR calls were received — at 3:30 am and 4:15 am. The first call was made by one Deepak Dahiya who informed that a body was being dragged under a car and the second about a body being found in Kanjhawala’s Jaunti village.
According to sources, however, around five PCR calls were made that night. Sources told ThePrint that an initial call was received around 2:30 am informing about the accident, and another at 3:20 am about the scooter being found by a patrolling staff — an entry of which was made at 3:56 am.
All the five men in the car, identified as Deepak Khanna (behind the wheels), Amit Khanna, Mithun, Krishan, and Manoj Mittal have been arrested by the police.
Also read: Sultanpuri victim was not alone when car hit scooter & dragged her body, say Delhi Police
Tracking down the car
On 1 January, the first call to the police control room came in at 2:30 am, sources told ThePrint. The caller informed the control room of a Baleno car hitting someone and fleeing.
An hour later, another call informed the police about someone being dragged by a Baleno, sources said.
“Three PCR vans were already tracing the Baleno on the accident stretch. However, the callers gave a long stretch from Begumpur to Kanjhwala. This is why others were alerted,” the source said.
“We analysed all the calls and found out that this was the same car. Intense fog and tiny lanes hindered police efforts. Then through automatic number-plate recognition, the car owner was located and the five men were arrested who confessed about the accident,” a source said.
Then came the third call — this one made to the Outer District police. The caller informed them about a scooty lying at Sultanpuri. It was then that the police realised it was the same car and began to track it down.
“Intense fog and tiny lanes hindered police efforts,” the source said. “But soon the owner of the car was tracked down through automatic number-plate recognition and five men were arrested,” the source said.
Also Read: ‘Not an accident but murder’ — relatives of Sultanpuri victim, angry locals demand justice