NEW DELHI : In yet another incident of
road rage in the city, a 25-year-old driver was shot at by a youth driving a Hyundai Accent on Tuesday just because the victim’s vehicle had brushed his car. The victim, Babloo, had to be rushed to hospital with a bullet lodged in his right jaw.
The Accent driver fired four shots at the car, of which one bullet went through the window pane and struck Babloo.
The incident took place just 100 metres from the South Campus police station on Rao Tula Ram Marg, all because the victim honked for passage after a brush with the other car.
Babloo is recuperating at Safdarjung hospital where doctors had to make an eight-inch cut under his jaw to remove the bullet. More than 36 hours after the incident, police have not been able to trace the car or the accused.
The incident happened on Tuesday morning when Babloo, a resident of Sangam Vihar and native of Madhepura (Bihar), was heading to the airport in his employer’s Wagon R. He was asked by his employer, Arvind Nath Mishra, who works as cashier in Vijaya Bank and resides in Indirapuram, to drop his friend Satish Gangwani to IGI airport. When Babloo took a left turn on Rao Tula Ram Marg from Ring Road, his Wagon R brushed past a Hyundai Accent car. Police sources said the driver of the Accent overtook Babloo and began blocking him with his car. “Babloo was getting late as Gangwani had to catch a flight, so he honked at the Accent. Subsequently, the accused moved his car on Babloo’s left and when they reached the red light near Sangam Cinema, he fired four shots at the car,” said a police officer.
“My friend and neighbour Satish then took Babloo to Safdarjung hospital, called the police and then left for the airport,” said Mishra.“My friend asked me to provide my car as he had to leave for Singapore early on Tuesday, so I asked Babloo to take him to the airport,” Babloo’s friend Mishra told TOI. Mishra added that Babloo had started driving his car only 15 days ago. Babloo was operated at the hospital on Tuesday and bullet removed. He is having breathing problems due to the bullet injury and has not been able to give his statement to police yet. His brother, Mohammad Ayub said, “He has a one year old daughter. He has been in the capital for past six years. We are praying for him”.
Senior officials said “an automatic .32 bore pistol was used” in the attack. DCP South Chhaya Sharma said, “We are waiting for Satish Gangwani to come back from Singapore. When he comes on Monday and gives us statement, we will be able to get more clarity on the incident”.