New Delhi: In an emotional appeal for justice, the parents of 34-year-old Sarthak Mattoo, who was killed in a hit-and-run crash in southwest Delhi, have released a heart-wrenching video accusing the authorities of failing to deliver justice and questioning the police investigation into the case. The appeal is directed to the Delhi Police Commissioner, the Chief Minister of Delhi, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "They left my son on the roadside to die," he can be heard saying in a choked voice.
Struggling to hold back tears, Sarthak's father, Surender Mattoo, says he and his wife are "half dead" after losing their only child and claims the men accused in the case are "roaming free". He alleged that the authorities conducted the alcohol test 50 hours after the incident. He alleged that they are getting no support from the authorities. However, he said that he hopes PM Modi will not disappoint him.
The video has received 63.7 lakh likes on Instagram and has gone viral on social media.
For the unversed, Sarthak Mattoo, an employee of a Gurugram -based event management company, was riding his motorcycle from Gurgaon to Noida for work at around 6.30 am on 25 June when a Mahindra Thar allegedly struck him near the Rajokri flyover in southwest Delhi. According to his family, the SUV fled the scene instead of stopping to help.
A passerby who found Sarthak critically injured reportedly unlocked his phone using his fingerprint and contacted one of his colleagues through the recent call list. By the time his family was informed, Sarthak had died. The tragedy came just two days before Sarthak's 34th birthday.
According to Delhi Police, the Thar involved in the crash was registered in Karnataka and belonged to a Bengaluru-based private company. The vehicle had been leased to Sagar Saha, 29, originally from Bihar. Police say Saha told investigators that his friend, Apurv Singh, 30, from Uttar Pradesh, was driving the SUV while Saha was in the passenger seat.
Apurv Singh was arrested on 27 June and later granted bail. Police have registered a case under Section 106(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which relates to causing death by negligence.
