 "A silver Mercedes with a Chandigarh registration plate was being driven recklessly at high speed. Image courtesy: Moneycontrol")
In another hit-and-run case involving a luxury vehicle, a silver Mercedes ran over four labourers in Uttarakhand’s Dehradun city.
The incident took place on Wednesday, and authorities are currently searching for the suspect.
Hit-and-run cases, particularly those involving high-end cars, have become increasingly common in the country. Last year, a series of such incidents haunted cities like Mumbai and Pune, among other parts of India.
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But what exactly happened in this case? What do we know about the suspect? And what has the police said?
We will answer these questions:
Dehradun hit-and-run case: What happened?
Four people died, while two others were injured when a speeding car rammed into pedestrians near Rajpur Road in Dehradun . Ajay Singh, Dehradun Superintendent of Police, said that the accident took place on Wednesday at 8 pm.
According to the police, a silver Mercedes with a Chandigarh registration plate was being driven recklessly at high speed when it struck four labourers and a scooter, killing all four pedestrians instantly and injuring two others.
The deceased included Mansharam (30) and Ranjit (35), both from Uttar Pradesh’s Ayodhya. The identities of the other two victims have not yet been confirmed.
The two injured survivors, Dhaniram from Hardoi, Uttar Pradesh, and Mohammad Shakib from Bihar’s Sitamarhi, suffered leg injuries and were initially taken to a nearby hospital before being transferred to the Government Doon Medical College.
Hearing the sound of the accident, locals rushed out of their homes and shops to assist the victims. They alerted the police, and the injured were taken to the hospital in critical condition.
Eyewitnesses told India Today that the car was travelling at an extremely high speed before losing control and crashing into pedestrians and motorists.
The driver fled the scene immediately after the incident, taking the vehicle along.
After the accident, the local residents have called for a ban on high-speed vehicles in the area and urged authorities to strengthen security measures, according to the report.
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The investigation
The police launched an immediate investigation into the incident and are currently searching for the suspect with the help of CCTV footage.
A special team from Dehradun police has also travelled to Chandigarh to gather information about the vehicle owner.
Speaking to ANI, Dehradun SSP Ajay Singh said, “We have tracked down 11-12 cars in this incident. We are hoping to track down the driver of the vehicle soon.”
All police stations were informed through the control room, and an intensive checking operation was carried out to locate the vehicle. According to The Indian Express, the deceased were living near the Kath Bangla riverbank and were employed under a contractor.
An FIR was filed on Thursday morning at Rajpur police station following a complaint from Mansharam’s relative.
The complaint, filed by Sanjay Kumar, stated, “My nephew and his companions were returning from work. As per eyewitnesses, an unknown Mercedes car with a Chandigarh registration number, being driven recklessly and negligently, hit these four pedestrians in front of Uttaranchal Hospital on Rajpur Road,” as per IE.
The complaint further said that the victims died on the spot, while two others on a scooter were seriously injured after being struck by the same vehicle. The driver fled the scene after causing the accident, it stated.
During the investigation, police conducted overnight searches and located the vehicle abandoned in an empty plot in the Sahastradhara area of the city.
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Road accidents in Dehradun
Dehradun records over 1,000 road accidents annually, with its steep, winding, and narrow roads increasing the risks, particularly during the monsoon and winter seasons when low visibility makes travel even more perilous.
Apart from Dehradun, Udham Singh Nagar, Haridwar, and Nainital report the highest number of road fatalities in Uttarakhand , collectively accounting for 80-85% of the state’s total deaths in such incidents.
A Times of India report last year said that over the past decade, road accidents in Uttarakhand had caused more than 11,000 deaths and left over 15,000 injured.
Data from the traffic directorate shows that since 2014, the state has recorded 11,347 fatalities and 15,994 injuries due to road accidents. Between January and October last year alone, Uttarakhand reported 1,448 road crashes, resulting in 851 deaths and 1,255 injuries, the report said citing state government figures.
To reduce road accidents by 50% by 2030, the Uttarakhand cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, approved the Road Safety Policy, 2025, on February 12.
According to a report by Hindustan Times, the policy seeks to improve road safety, increase public awareness, improve infrastructure, and enforce stricter compliance with traffic laws.
With inputs from agencies