NEW DELHI: Two childhood friends were returning home on their Bullet motorcycle after watching the Delhi Capitals versus KKR IPL match on Friday night. The young men had come down the Signature bridge flyover in northeast Delhi’s Khajuri Khas around 11.30 pm.A speeding car, a silver Maruti Celerio, rammed the bike from behind near the service lane close to the Bhajanpura metro station. While the impact flung both riders into the road, the pillion rider was thrown 15 meters away. The car reportedly spun around three times before crashing into a nearby divider. Doctors declared the two brought deadThe accident bears similarities to a hit-and-run reported earlier last month when two cousins aged 20 and 14 were killed while returning home after watching an IPL match on a motorcycle in central Delhi’s Ashoka Road.The bikers who died in Friday’s accident were residents of Karawal Nagar. They were identified as Rohit Kashyap (31), and Hemant Sharma (33).The car driver, identified as Himanshu (27), a lawyer, was beaten up by locals. People said he was driving over 80 kmph and appeared intoxicated.DCP (northeast) Ashish Kumar Mishra said, “The accused driver has been arrested, and the offending vehicle has been seized.” His blood sample has been sent for testing. Police said the accused was going to a friend’s house in Dayalpur. When TOI saw the seized car, it bore a Delhi High Court Bar Association sticker, and a band tie was hung on the rear-view mirror. Cops are verifying whether Himanshu, a resident of Holambi Kalan in northwest Delhi, is a practicing lawyer. A 20-year-old local resident said, “Neither of the bikers were wearing helmets and had suffered severe head injuries.” Another resident, a 45-year-old woman, said, “One of the two men was still a little conscious when we saw him. He kept calling out to us.” The family of the deceased has alleged police negligence, saying PCR vehicle took 20 to 25 min to reach. Sharma’s brother Harkesh alleged that “Hemant was still breathing a little when locals tried to keep him in the van. The cops refused until they forcefully placed him in the vehicle.” When TOI reached out to police on the allegation, a senior officer said the first call was received at 11.26 pm and the second call was received at 11.27 pm. “The PCR had reached by 11.35 and at 11.42 pm, they moved with both injured to the hospital.” A case has been registered under Sections 281 (rash driving) and 106 (causing death by negligence) of the BNS at the Khajuri Khas police station.
