Pressure mounts for stricter action against drunk driver

Nagpur: The Lakadganj police on Saturday recorded statement of some key eyewitnesses in the fatal accident of Hetal Panchamatia.
The incident took a political turn as a section of Youth Congress and their senior counterparts from East Nagpur participated in a demonstration and also ‘gheraoed’ the police station demanding stricter action against Karan Thakkar who was allegedly behind the wheels when the accident took place near Ambedkar Chowk on Central Avenue in the wee hours of October 25.
The victim’s husband, Rajesh, too joined the protest march led by Praveen Pote of East Congress committee and Bunty Shelke of Youth Congress.
Hetal was crushed under the wheels of a SUV driven by Thakkar who was allegedly under the influence of alcohol. Hetal’s husband Rajesh and their nine-year-old daughter Hasti had escaped with minor injuries after their scooter was hit from behind by Thakkar’s vehicle at breakneck speed.
Thakkar had also hit other vehicles while speeding away with friends accompanying him. Police have already seized Thakkar’s vehicle which would be inspected by the officials of the Regional Transport Office (RTO) soon.
Though Thakkar was arrested, he was granted bail by court, triggering demand for registering stringent offences against him. Following the demand, commissioner of police SP Yadav had stated that Thakkar would be booked for murder if the nature of injuries in the post-mortem report suggests an intentional act by the driver.