Car falls into Najafgarh drain, doors locked; 2 inside drown

Gurgaon: Two youths in their mid-20s drowned after their car fell into Najafgarh drain on the main Pataudi Road in the early hours of Tuesday.
The accident took place on the outskirts of Gadoli village around 2.30am when Keshav and Dharamvir, both contractors from Mahendergarh’s Pathera and Dhanoda villages, were travelling from Pataudi to Gurgaon for work in an i20. On the culvert constructed over Najafgarh drain in Gadoli village, Keshav lost control of the vehicle, following which it fell into the drain. As the car’s electronic system malfunctioned, all its doors got locked automatically, leaving the two men stuck inside.
A team from the Sector 10 police station rushed to the spot after being informed by commuters. A crane was deployed to pull the car out. Keshav and Dharamvir were taken to Civil Hospital in Sector 10, where they were declared brought dead. Their bodies were handed over to their families after post-mortem.
The duo used to make frequent work-related trips to Gurgaon and adjoining areas, said one of their relatives who had come to the hospital. “They had left home from Mahendergarh early on Monday and were supposed to return on Tuesday. It was a routine trip,” Dharamvir’s uncle Sudhir Kumar said.
Gurgaon police spokesperson Subhash Boken said a case has been registered against unknown persons under IPC sections 379 (rash driving) and 304A (death in accident) at the Sector 10 police station. “Investigation is under way to find out the exact cause of the accident,” he added.
Police are scanning CCTV footage from multiple cameras installed by private individuals and GMDA for clues, said a police officer. He added that the driver may have lost control while trying to swerve to avoid hitting a person or another vehicle coming from the opposite side.
Sandesh Sharma, a resident who lives in Sector 90 and often commutes on the stretch, said the culvert is very narrow and devoid of any protective wall on its sides.
“Earlier, there was very little traffic on this road but over the period of time, the number of vehicles here have increased significantly. But the authorities have made no plans to upgrade or widen the culvert. The infrastructure has failed to keep pace with the development in the area,” he said.