IAS aspirant misses prelims after being hit by speeding car

A 30-year-old IAS aspirant couldn’t appear for the UPSC (Preliminary) exam on Monday after being hit by a speeding car at west Delhi’s Todapur area, police said. 

The errant driver, identified as a 35-year-old hotelier, Harsh, has been arrested by the police and booked under relevant sections of IPC, said DCP (south-west) RA Sanjeev.

According to the police, the incident was reported around 7.30 am when the IAS aspirant, Kavita Sharma, was on her way to the examination centre.

Sharma had just crossed the road near the Todapur traffic signal and as she was about to climb the pavement, a speeding Honda City car allegedly hit her from behind. Even as Sharma fell on the road, the driver shouted at her and fled the scene.

Locals came forward to help the victim and called up the police control room. Sharma suffered <g data-gr-id="26">from </g>a dislocated ankle and several other injuries, for which she is presently being treated at a hospital, said the senior official.

Sharma, a native of Raipur in Chhattisgarh, lives at a rented accommodation in Todapur area, where she had been preparing for the Civil Services exam.

During <g data-gr-id="37">investigation</g>, it emerged that a woman was witnessed sitting next to the errant driver. Meanwhile, the police also obtained CCTV grabs from nearby premises and the car was soon spotted, said the official. When the car was tracked down, <g data-gr-id="36">a hotelier</g> named Abhishek Joshi — a resident of Patel Nagar — turned out to be its owner.

When the police contacted Joshi, it emerged that Joshi was in Mumbai and it was his partner, Harsh, who had the keys of his car. Joshi and Harsh own a guest house, named <g data-gr-id="29">Oplex</g>, in west Delhi’s Naraina, said the official.

When Harsh was questioned, it emerged that he was driving the car and it was Joshi’s mother sitting 

next to him. They had gone to a temple near Rajendra Place and were heading towards Naraina. Joshi’s mother left for Mumbai later in the day, said the official.