Rajpur Road fatal accident – perpetrator arrested
By OUR STAFF REPORTER
Dehradun, 13 Mar: The police have arrested 22-year-old Vansh Katyal, who was driving the Mercedes car that killed 4 pedestrians last night. He had come to Dehradun to find a job and is currently staying in a PG in Mohit Vihar. Based on the complaint filed by Sanjay Kumar, uncle of deceased Mansharam, a case has been registered under Sections 105, 125, 281, and 324 (4) of the BNS, police said. The police arrested Vansh today near ISBT, Dehradun.
According to SSP Ajai Singh, Vansh was out with his 10-year-old nephew on the night of the accident. They had gone to a restaurant in Rajpur and later decided to drive up to Old Mussoorie Road.
While returning, Vansh claims to have been driving at 70-80 kmph. He told the police that he lost control while trying to avoid a scooty. The car turned to the other side and hit four people, killing them on the spot. Vansh panicked after the accident because his young nephew was with him. He feared that the public might attack him, so he fled. Instead of stopping, he abandoned the car in Sahastradhara and borrowed a scooty from a friend, telling him that his car had broken down. He later escaped to Delhi.
It was found that the car was registered under Harbir Automobiles Agency and, in July 2024, the car was purchased by Jatin Prasad Verma, a Lucknow resident with a home and business office in Jakhan. It was also found that he frequently travelled to Dehradun for business. The vehicle owner, Jatin Prasad Verma, confirmed to the police that he had given the car to his brother-in-law, Vansh Katyal, on 12 March.
During interrogation, Vansh Katyal revealed that he is originally from Moradabad. After completing his BBA, he was working in Delhi but lost his job. He then moved to Dehradun in search of work and was currently staying in a PG accommodation in Mohit Vihar, opposite Wadia Institute. Based on the information, the police tracked down and arrested Vansh near ISBT, Dehradun.
To investigate the incident, different teams were formed by SSP Dehradun. In the initial investigation, eyewitnesses provided information about the involvement of a Mercedes or a similar vehicle. The teams continuously searched for a Mercedes-like vehicle with the help of CCTV footage and ANPR cameras. Information was received about a total of 11 such vehicles passing near the spot at the time of the incident. Among them, the police team identified a silver-grey vehicle, number CH-01-CN-0665, with one side damaged, which provided the trail to the perpetrator.
