Two construction workers were crushed to death on Friday night after a speeding SUV ran crashed into their shanties at a construction site in Sector Beta 2 in Greater Noida.

Police said the driver of the car, identified as Rajesh Bhati (24), was under influence of alcohol at the time of the incident and failed to negotiate a turn at a T-Point near Acher Police Chowki.

Bhati drove over three shanties made of tin sheets and killed two workers — Sanjay (30), a resident of Madhepura, and Siyaram (35), residents of Saharsa, Bihar. A third worker, Konika (20),escaped with a minor injury on her forehead.

Police said that the victims worked at a construction site of Ramratan Real Estate Private Limited and lived in shanties next to the construction site which is alongside the road. Company’s contractor Rajkumar filed a complaint against the driver in Sector Beta II police station. He said the incident took place at around 11:55pm. “A man crashed his speeding Mahindra Scorpio into the shanties in an inebriated condition, after which two workers were killed and one woman was injured,” he said in complaint.

Ikramul, a construction worker from West Bengal, said the area had three shanties in a row. “I was sleeping in one shanty, while Sanjay and Siyaram were in another shanty and Konika and her husband Uttam were in the third one. A speeding SUV suddenly lost control and hurtled through two shanties,” Ikramul said. He added that he somehow managed to escape as the SUV skidded after hitting the first shanty. While Sanjay and Siyaram were run over, Konika, who was living in the middle shanty, sustained a minor injury after a tin sheet flew and hit her forehead.

Patnish Kumar, sub-inspector and in-charge of Acher police chowki, said the suspect had tried to drive away after running over the victims. “But the SUV was stuck in sand and an open manhole. The accused fled the spot with the SUV’s key when people started gathering at the spot,” Kumar said.

A police team soon reached the spot and rushed Sanjay and Siyaram to Yathartha Hospital from where they were referred to Kailash Hospital. They were pronounced brought dead at Kailash Hospital.

Police traced the accused thought the car’s registration number, which they said was registered n his father’s name.

The SUV’s front number plate had come off and its front windshield glass was also damaged. Police launched a search and arrested Bhati from Nat Madhaiya Village. “The suspect was in an inebriated condition. We found the SUV’s key from his possession. He was sent for a medical examination and reports confirmed he was drunk at the time of incident,” he said.

Bhati is a resident of Chuharpur village in Greater Noida and worked in his family’s dairy business. Ranvijay Singh, SP (rural) Gautam Budh Nagar, said a case has been registered against the accused under Section 279 (rash driving), Section 338 (causing grievous hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others) and Section 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of IPC. “The accused was produced in court and sent to judicial custody,” he said. Police are investigating whether there were other people inside the SUV when the incident took place.

First Published: Jul 27, 2019 21:37 IST