BENGALURU: A 42-year-old IT professional, his wife and their five-year-old child had a horrifying experience after a violent autorickshaw driver allegedly attacked their car and broke the windshield in a road rage incident.
Nilabh Pandey and his family, who live at Prestige Lakeside Habitat apartments in Whitefield, were returning home from Manipal Hospital around noon on Tuesday. The incident happened on 16th Cross, 8th Main of BEML Layout in Whitefield police limits.
The accused, HN Darshan, 21, stopped the car and demanded that the family step out. He claimed that the car had suddenly come in front of his auto without any indication. He broke the windscreen wipers and kept damaging the car, but the family refused to step out as there was a serious threat to their lives. Darshan then broke the windshield, sending broken glass pieces onto Nilabh’s wife, injuring her. The couple pushed their child into the rear seat to safeguard him and sped away.
They called the family doctor home for treatment as they were afraid to visit the hospital, fearing the auto driver was waiting outside.
Pandey filed a complaint with Whitefield police, who registered a case of attempt to murder, arrested Darshan and seized his auto. “The autorickshaw driver, HN Darshan of Kaggadasapura in HAL, and a native of Harosomanahalli of Channarayapatna in Hassan was arrested and remanded in judicial custody. The accused was booked for an attempt to murder (IPC 307). The autorickshaw has also been seized,” Whitefield division DCP S Girish told TNIE.
“The accused stopped the victim’s car stating that they suddenly came in front of his auto. He started hitting the bonnet and abusing them. When Pandey refused to get out of the car, the accused rushed towards his wife and tried to attack her. She immediately closed the window and the accused broke the wipers and started smashing the windscreen and side glasses of the car.
The woman sustained injuries on her ears and hands and started bleeding. He even threatened to call his friends to the spot,” said an officer, quoting the complainant’s statement. When contacted, Pandey said a complaint was filed but refused to comment about the incident.