Eleven people, including a couple, lost their lives in separate incidents on the day of Holi in the national capital even as police challaned around 8,000 people for various traffic violations.
Murders of a driver and a labourer, five fatal accidents killing seven people and drowning of two teenagers were reported yesterday with police saying these incidents were related to Holi. Among the dead are two women, both victims of road accidents.
A couple — insurance agent Vinay Rai (27) and his wife Deepa (23) — were killed in Mukarba Chowk yesterday when their motorcycle collided with a tempo while their minor children escaped death.
Deepa died on the spot while Vinay succumbed to his injuries at Babu Jagjivan Ram hospital during treatment. Their one-and-half-year-old child escaped unhurt while four-year-old daughter suffered head injuries.
They were on way to the house of Deepa's parents in Seemapuri to celebrate Holi. The couple and the children resided in Rohini sector 24, a senior police official said.
The families of the couple came to know about the incident after one of the eye-witnesses called a number from Vinay's mobile which happened to be that of a neighbour. "The neighbour then informed the families about the accident after which they rushed to the hospital," he said.
A driver Surender (28), who is also a Bajrang Dal worker, was beaten to death allegedly by a security guard Veerpal in Outer Delhi's Vijay Vihar last evening following an argument over liquor, a senior police official said.
"Surender went to Veerpal and demanded liquor and ganja saying it was a dry day and he wanted it badly. An argument followed when Veerpal refused to heed to his plea and in the ensuing scuffle, the guard beat Surender with an iron rod leading to his death," he said. Veerpal has been arrested.
The second murder was reported from central Delhi's Ranjeet Nagar where a drunken brawl during Holi celebrations claimed the life of 18-year-old Sanjeev, a labourer, when he was stabbed allegedly by his friends.
He was celebrating Holi when an argument erupted among the friends. "The argument soon led a scuffle and in between, somebody stabbed him in the chest," he said.
All of them were under the influence of alcohol, the official said. Sanjay was rushed to a nearby hospital where doctors declared him brought dead.
A total of seven persons were killed in five accidents on Sunday between one pm and 6.30 pm. The accidents were reported from Bhalswa Dairy, Mongolpuri, Dabri, Neb Sarai and Punjabi Bagh.
While a 28-year-old and 19-year-old died when their motorcycle rammed into a divider in Dabri, an unidentified man met with death in a similar fashion in Mongolpuri.