Sources said that the child, identified as Aviral, got down from the Maruti van and was walking towards the bus stand when the driver crushed him under the rear wheels. Moreover, eyewitnesses alleged that Aviral was dragged for a few metres after he was crushed beneath the rear wheels.
Senior police officials of the North district shared that the locals caught Rahul Kumar (20), the errant driver, at the spot and handed him over to the local police.
Investigators said that the incident took place at around 2 pm when Kumar went to the Ram Krishan Road bus stand at the Railway colony in Civil Lines to drop Aviral. Aviral studied in the John Wesley Preparatory School, 2 kilometre away from his house. Eyewitnesses told police that a white Maruti van always came to drop Aviral. On Tuesday, Kumar had dropped four children to their homes after which he arrived at the bus stop near Aviral’s house.
Sources said that when Aviral got down from the van, he tried looking for his parents who were waiting for him at the bus stop like always. “The boy was in a rush to go to his home. He de-boarded the van and tried to pass the vehicle. Unable to see the boy at the back side of the vehicle, the driver crushed the boy.
Sources further said that once Aviral was crushed under the rear wheels of the Maruti Van, instead of stopping the vehicle, the driver allegedly tried to speed and dragged Aviral for a few metres. Parents and locals gathered at the spot and stopped the van and pulled Kumar out of the vehicle. Meanwhile, family members rushed him to a nearby hospital where Aviral was declared dead on arrival.
Sources said that the driver who was driving the school van had dropped the children from their playschool to their homes on previous occasions as well. Police said that they have registered a case under Section 304A (causing death due to negligence) of the IPC at the Civil Lines police station.
Aviral’s father, Hitender, works in a private company, said police.