Two MLAs among six injured in Delhi car crash near ITO

Six people, including two MLAs, were injured in a road accident near the ITO traffic signal in central Delhi on Sunday night after a car crossed a road divider and collided with an oncoming SUV, police said.

The accident occurred around 9:30 pm near the PWD office, in front of the old Police Headquarters, according to the Delhi Police. A PCR call was received at the I.P. Estate police station around that time, following which a police team reached the spot and found two vehicles, an Innova and a Swift, both bearing Delhi registration numbers, damaged.

According to police, the Swift was being driven by 32-year-old Ashutosh Pandey, a resident of Arya Nagar, who was travelling with his wife and two minor children from Laxmi Nagar towards ITO. Near the PWD Office, the car hit the divider and, after crossing the railing, collided with the Innova coming from ITO towards Laxmi Nagar.

The Innova was occupied by Anil Jha, the sitting MLA from Kirari Vidhan Sabha in Delhi, and Abhay Patil, an MLA from Karnataka. The impact left the front of the Innova badly damaged, according to visual evidence cited by some outlets.

All six occupants sustained minor injuries and were shifted to Lok Nayak Jai Prakash (LNJP) Hospital for treatment. Police said they were all in stable condition.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) Rohit Ranbir Singh said in a statement that a preliminary inquiry indicated the Swift first hit the divider before crossing the railing and colliding with the SUV. The exact reason for the car hitting the divider has not been established.

The fire brigade was called to the spot after information was received about a possible CNG leak. Fire personnel attended to the situation. The damaged vehicles were subsequently removed from the roadway, and traffic movement was restored. The area, which witnesses heavy vehicular flow, was briefly affected.

Police have launched an investigation to establish the exact circumstances leading to the crash.