A tragic hit-and-run incident in the Banthara area of Lucknow on Thursday evening claimed the life of a six-year-old child and left five others injured. Police said a Swift Dzire car, allegedly driven by a minor Class 12 student, rammed into pedestrians near a Hanuman temple after first colliding with an auto-rickshaw. The child, identified as Dikshant Patel, sustained a severe head injury and later died during treatment.
Dikshant was walking with his mother, Sadhna (35), and grandmother, Meena Devi (60), both residents of Unnao, when the accident occurred. The injured also include Arman (12), Pramod Kumar, and Awadh Bihari (42). CCTV footage of the incident has surfaced, showing the car speeding through the stretch moments before impact. The vehicle has been seized and the minor driver detained.
According to Assistant Commissioner of Police Rajnish Sharma, the accused claimed that the accident occurred after one of the car’s tyres burst. Preliminary investigations, however, are examining all angles, including speed and negligence. A case has been registered under relevant sections pertaining to rash and negligent driving, along with other applicable charges.
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Police inquiries revealed that the minor had attended a farewell function earlier in the day at Avadh Collegiate and had borrowed a friend’s car to travel to the event. After the programme, he reportedly set out to drop his classmates home. He had already dropped off three friends and was on his way to drop a fourth when the accident took place.
Authorities said a girl passenger exited the vehicle immediately after the crash and was later handed over to the police by locals. The accused allegedly attempted to flee the scene, abandoning the car before being tracked down. The incident has reignited concerns over minors behind the wheel and enforcement of road safety regulations, especially following recent high-profile accidents involving underage drivers in Uttar Pradesh.
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