14-year-old dies nine days after hit-and-run in Nizamuddin; mother, cousin critical

New Delhi: A 14-year-old boy, Mohammad Ahmad, died on Wednesday, nine days after he was allegedly hit by a speeding car in a hit-and-run incident in southeast Delhi’s Hazrat Nizamuddin area, police said. Ahmad, a resident of Nizamuddin Basti, suffered severe brain injuries in the crash.

His mother, Khatija, and cousin Zoya, 16, who were also injured in the crash, remain critical and are undergoing treatment.

The trio was returning home after visiting the Eid fair at Red Fort late on March 23. According to police, they just got off an autorickshaw around 11.20 pm near a petrol pump in Nizamuddin East and were crossing the road when a car rammed into them.

Khatija’s sister, who dropped them off and lives near Ashram, said, “Since the signal was red at the traffic intersection, I told them to cross the road. The car hit them right after I left in the auto.”

A case has been registered at Hazrat Nizamuddin police station. Police said tracing the vehicle has been difficult due to the absence of functional CCTV cameras in the area and poor lighting at the time of the incident.

Sajid, the father of the deceased boy, said, “My son is gone. Now what purpose do I have for being alive?” The injured girl Zoya’s father said, “My daughter has multiple fractures and I am paralysed. I don’t know what to do.”

A relative said the family believes that the car came from the Nizamuddin side, via the DPS flyover, struck the victims in Nizamuddin West and fled towards New Friends Colony. “One of their mobile phones flew onto the bonnet of the car and was later found in Kalindi Kunj by a security guard,” he said.

A police officer said investigators have narrowed down the suspected vehicle to a red Honda Brio that was travelling from the Mathura Road side, based on available inputs. “Footage from nearby stretches has been sent for enhancement and analysis to identify the registration number and trace the driver,” the officer said, adding that an underpass was also located close to the accident site.