Bengaluru tragedy: Car accident claims life of 5-year-old as teen driver pushes accelerator instead of brakes

By Vinaykumar Patil | First Published May 13, 2024, 9:18 AM IST

An 18-year-old named Devaraj accidentally accelerated a car in Murugeshpalya, Bengaluru, killing a 5-year-old boy named Aarav and injuring another child, Dhanraj. The car also hit several parked two-wheelers. Devaraj fled but was later arrested. He was reportedly cleaning the car when he mistakenly hit the accelerator instead of the brake.

In Murugeshpalya, Bengaluru under the jurisdiction of the Jeevanbima Nagar Traffic Police, a car driven by an 18-year-old went out of control, resulting in the death of a young child and injuries to another. The accident occurred on Sunday, striking fear and sorrow in the community as two children were hit while playing on the street.

According to the local police, the accident resulted in the death of 5-year-old Aarav, son of Tamara Kannan of Kalappa Layout. Another child, also aged 5, named Dhanraj, suffered injuries to his hands and legs. He is currently receiving medical treatment and is reportedly in stable condition.

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The driver, identified as Devaraj, was arrested following the incident. Reports suggest that Devaraj was cleaning a car borrowed by his father for a family outing to the temple. While intending to clean the car's wipers around 10:30 AM, he mistakenly hit the accelerator instead of the brake, causing the vehicle to lurch forward uncontrollably.

The car not only struck Aarav and Dhanraj but continued forward, colliding with multiple two-wheelers parked nearby. Local witnesses described a horrific scene where Aarav suffered severe injuries and was bleeding profusely. Despite being rushed to the hospital, he succumbed to his injuries by noon.

It was reported that in a panic, Devaraj fled to his home and locked himself inside. His father then attempted to intervene by sitting in the driver's seat, seemingly to deflect responsibility from his son. However, the local community, having witnessed Devaraj fleeing the scene, informed the police accurately about the sequence of events.

Police officials conducted a thorough investigation at the scene, confirming that the impounded car was involved in the mishap. They managed to persuade Devaraj out of his house, taking him into custody for further questioning.

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