Delhi Hit-and-Run Killer Caught After CCTV Hunt

Delhi Police have apprehended a suspect in a devastating hit-and-run case that claimed the life of 19-year-old Pratyush and left 16-year-old Laksh Verma fighting for survival in the ICU. The accused, Rajeev Ranjan, alias Munna, a 29-year-old driver from Rangpuri, was arrested after a 16-day investigation involving the analysis of over 2,000 CCTV cameras across Delhi-NCR, police announced on Monday.

The incident occurred on August 7 at around 6 am near Bhikaji Cama Place Metro Station on Ring Road, when a Mahindra Bolero pickup struck a motorcycle carrying Pratyush and Laksh, both residents of Indirapuram, Ghaziabad. Both victims suffered severe crush injuries and were rushed to AIIMS Trauma Centre. Pratyush succumbed to his injuries on August 14, while Laksh remains in critical condition.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southeast) Hemant Tiwari stated that a case was registered at RK Puram Police Station, prompting the formation of multiple investigative teams. Initial CCTV footage from Dhaula Kuan to Bhikaji Cama Place revealed the Bolero trailing the victims’ motorcycle, though the number plate was unclear. With assistance from control rooms at Dwarka Expressway, Todapur Traffic, DND Toll Plaza, NHAI, Dasna, and traffic police in Delhi, Ghaziabad, and Noida, the vehicle was traced to the Delhi–Meerut Expressway on August 8 at approximately 5:30 am.

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The breakthrough led police to the vehicle’s registered owner, culminating in Ranjan’s arrest. During interrogation, Ranjan, a class 9 dropout who has worked as a driver for two years, confessed to transporting organic manure from Gurugram to Bhimtal, Uttarakhand. He admitted to striking the motorcycle in a rush and fleeing the scene, leaving the victims trapped under his vehicle out of fear of arrest.

The Mahindra Bolero has been seized, and Ranjan faces charges as the investigation continues. The case highlights the Delhi Police’s extensive use of technology and inter-agency coordination to bring justice in a tragic incident that has left a community mourning and a family praying for a teenager’s recovery.

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