Mother, son crushed to death by crane, operator flees

A 52-year-old woman and her son were crushed to death by a crane which was towing a truck in outer Delhi’s Mongolpuri area, police said on Friday. Tilak Raj and his mother Vimla Rani were heading towards Peeragarhi on a motorbike when the crane, approaching from the opposite direction, hit their vehicle and crushed them to death last night.

The two-wheeler got stuck in the bottom of the crane and it was dragged for several metres until it came to a halt. The operator of the crane fled, a police official said. Passers-by informed police and Tilak and his mother were taken to a hospital where the latter was declared brought dead and Tilak admitted. He succumbed to injuries later in the night. 

A case of rash driving and negligence causing death has been registered and efforts are on to nab the crane operator who has been identified, the official added. Tilak, who was a blacksmith by profession, was the sole bread-earner of the family. He is survived by his wife, four-month-old daughter and a four-year-old son.