SUV, with minor at the wheel, rams divider

Ranchi: A minor (17) was on Saturday morning detained for reckless driving after his over speeding SUV dashed against a pole and the divider in Morabadi, where thousands of citizens were taking their morning walk. Scores of morning walkers had a close shave.

While the drive walked out with minor injuries due to the airbags, the front wheel of the vehicle was separated due to the impact. Had the car jumped over the divider, many morning walkers could have been injured, the police said.

Notably, one side of the road around the ground remains barricaded for morning walkers as precautionary measure while the other side is free for vehicles. The accident took place at a curve where the driver failed to control his speeding car. On November 19, 2024, four persons were injured when a car hit a tree near the curve. In 2023, a Congress functionary Rizna Karmali was killed after being run over by a speeding vehicle on Ranchi-Purulia Road.

Rupesh Kumar Singh, the officer-in-charge of Lalpur police station, said, "Police have registered a FIR for reckless driving and mischief. Since the sections are bailable the teenager has been set free following the due process. The car has been seized. It would be released only by court's order." Police, however, did not divulge details about the minor except confirming that his father is employed in Odisha.

Speaking on road safety, a regular morning walker Pankaj Vatsal stated, "Vehicles move at a very high speed on the roads in the morning creating fear of being overrun from behind in me and my friends. We have decided to walk in opposite direction to spot the vehicles coming towards us. There should be more speed detecting cameras in the city so that over speeding vehicles are spotted and fined."

Federation of Jharkhand Chambers of Commerce and Industries traffic sub-committee chairman Mukesh Pandey stated, "The movement of vehicles within the city should not be beyond 40 km per hour. The walkers should also be careful to remain on the roadside allowing adequate space for vehicles."