Delhi road rage: Photography student dead after accused chased and hit bike

A 21-year-old photography student died three days after an alleged case of road rage in the AIIMS trauma centre on Wednesday. The deceased Gurpreet Singh was on an assignment to shoot the night life of Delhi during early hours on September 17 with his friend Maninder when a drunk man allegedly hit their bike from behind after an altercation over smoking.

"We had stopped to have tea at a kiosk near Safdurjung Hospital when a drunk man started smoking at our face. When we resisted he started hurling racial abuses. The passersby intervened and left the spot. The man threatened us for consequences," said Maninder, who is an eyewitness and has been badly injured in the accident.

The drunk man actually chased us and hit our bike from behind. We both fell on the ground. He also hit a cab and an autorickshaw before his car turned off. I rushed Gurpreet to the hospital where he died after three days. I also suffered multiple injuries," said Maninder.

The police said they had arrested the accused, identified as Rohit Mahanto, right from the spot and since none of the injured were able to speak, a case of rash and negligent driving and driving under influence of alcohol was registered against the accused.

"After the death of Gurpreet, we will now change the sections in FIR and will take action accordingly. We have recorded statement of the survivor and witness in this case and we are investigating each and every aspect," said Chinmay Biswal, Addl. DCP, South Delhi.

Accused Mahanto is said to be a law student. Police said he was driving his Ford Fiesta at a very high speed. The deceased and his friend was riding on a Royal Enfield.

Gurpreet hailed from Bhatinda area of Punjab and was studying photography at a Delhi college with his friend Maninder who hails from the same town.