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Death of Anjali Singh

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Death of Anjali Singh
LocationDelhi
DateJanuary 1, 2023
VictimAnjali Singh
Accused5 vehicle occupants
ChargesCausing death by negligence
Culpable homicide

Anjali Singh was a 20-year-old[1] Indian woman who was killed in a road traffic collision in Delhi on January 1, 2023. It is also known as the 2023 Delhi hit-and-run case, or the Kanjhawala case.[2][3][4] Anjali was driving a scooter that was hit by a motorist. Her leg got stuck in the car's axle and she was dragged by the car for several kilometres,[5][6] eventually resulting in her death.[7][8] The incident generated widespread national and international coverage and was widely condemned, both in India and abroad.[9][10] There were subsequently public protests against the central government for failing to provide adequate security for women took place in Delhi.[11][12]

Anjali Singh

[edit]

Singh was born to mother Rekha as the second of six siblings who lived in the Mangolpuri area of Delhi.[1] Her father died eight years before her death in 2023.[1][13] Singh's mother worked as an assistant in a school but lost her job during the COVID-19 pandemic.[1] Singh did not complete school in order to financially support her family and worked as a make-up artist.[1] She was very active on social media and Instagram Reels.[14][15] Anjali used to work as an usher for an event management company at weddings for daily remuneration.[16][17]

Death

[edit]

Anjali left Vivan Palace OYO hotel at around 1:30 am on the morning of January 1, 2023, along with her friend Nidhi after attending a New Year's party.[1][18][19][20] The five accused had first gone to Haryana's Murthal for dhaba food to celebrate the new year.[21][22] When travelling on her scooter in the Sultanpuri[23] area of Delhi, she was struck by a grey Suzuki Baleno car.[24] The car's five occupants panicked and did not stop, dragging the body of Singh[1] for several kilometres.[5] The car's occupants, who admitted being intoxicated with alcohol,[25] were subsequently arrested.[1] Her friend, Nidhi, was the scooter's pillion rider, but she escaped unharmed.[5]

The naked body of Anjali was found near Hanuman Mandir at Jonti village in Sultanpuri.[26][27] Her body was sent to the Sanjay Gandhi Memorial Hospital, Mangolpuri, Delhi.[28] An autopsy recorded the cause of Singh's death as "shock and haemorrhage due to injury to the head, spine, left femur and both lower limbs"[1] and noted 40 injuries on her body.[29]

Investigation

[edit]

A medical board of doctors at the Maulana Azad Medical College (MAMC) conducted Anjali's autopsy and reported that there were a total of 40 injuries.[30] The autopsy report mentioned Brain Matter Missing, Skull Open and Spine Broken.[31] Her autopsy has ruled out the possibility of a sex assault.[32] Delhi Police arrested the five accused within 3 hours of the body being found, with the help of two Automatic number-plate recognition (ANPR) cameras that captured the Baleno with the registration DL8CAY6414.[33] The five accused men arrested are Amit Khanna (25), Krishan (27), Mithun (26), Manoj Mittal (27) and Deepak Khanna (26).[21] They were intoxicated at the time of the incident. Of the five, Manoj Mittal is affiliated to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and is co-convener of the Mongolpuri ward.[34] Amit works with SBI Cards in Uttam Nagar, Krishan works at the Spanish Culture Centre in Connaught Place, Mithun is a hairdresser at Naraina, Manoj Mittal is a ration dealer in Sultanpuri while Deepak is a Gramin Sewa auto driver.[21][35]

CCTV footage has emerged, which shows the girl being dragged under a Maruti Suzuki Baleno. The video is from January 1, 2023, at 2:13 am shortly after the accident. According to an eye-witness, Deepak Dahiya, who runs a confectionery shop at the Kanjhawala Road in Ladpur village, the car took a U-turn after hitting the scooty.[36][37] Deepak chased the car with his motorcycle and was in contact with the police.[38] Anjali's friend Nidhi gave statement that the accused kept on driving the car deliberately while Anjali was screaming.[39] Nidhi also said that Anjali was drunk on that day and Anjali insisted on driving the scooty.[40]

On 5 January 2023, Delhi Police named two more accused - Ashutosh and Ankush Khanna.[41][42][43] Ashutosh is the brother-in-law of the vehicle owner Lokesh, while Ankush is the brother of one of the accused.[44][45][46] Ankush was later granted bail on furnishing a personal bond of ₹ 20,000 along with one surety.[47] None of the four men in the car had driving license.[48] Delhi police added section 201 of the Indian Penal Code to the FIR for ‘destruction of evidence’. It was Amit Khanna who was allegedly driving the car while Deepak Khanna (a cousin of Ankush and Amit Khanna) was at his house at the time of the accident.[49][50] Nidhi was caught by Government Railway Police (GRP), Agra, in 2020 in a drug case under Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985,[51] in which she later got bail.[52] Delhi Police has also found traffic challans worth ₹ 19000 pending against Nidhi.[52] Another CCTV footage showed Anjali in another accident on 16 July 2022.[53] That time Anjali was found to have consumed alcohol.

Ministry of Home Affairs asked the Delhi Police to invoke Section 302 of the IPC against the accused persons.[54] On 1 April 2023, Delhi Police filed an 800-page chargesheet in Kanjhawala Case, in which four out of the seven accused - Amit Khanna, Krishan, Mithun and Manoj Mittal - in the Kanjhawala hit-and-drag case were charged with murder.[55][56]

Aftermath

[edit]

Singh's family have made claims that she was the subject of a sexual assault due to her body being found naked.[1] Police have rejected this allegation stating that the post-mortem examination did not support the allegation.[1]

On 3 January 2023, a delegation of 12 Aam Aadmi Party legislators, led by Greater Kailash MLA Saurabh Bhardwaj along with Kalkaji MLA Atishi, met Delhi Police commissioner Sanjay Arora and submitted a memorandum with five demands.[57] The demands included the removal of deputy commissioner of police (outer) Harendra K Singh. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced financial assistance of Rs 10 lakh to the victim's family.[58] Former IPS officer Kiran Bedi said the current police response system in Delhi has collapsed and called for a need for the revival of the earlier police response system through police control room vans.[59] Delhi Commission for Women chairperson Swati Maliwal cautioned against “victim-shaming” of Anjali and said that her friend's account should be verified.[11] Shah Rukh Khan‘s Meer Foundation has extended financial aid to Anjali’s family.[60]

On Ministry of Home Affairs's recommendations, 11 Delhi policemen were suspended.[61][62]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Anjali Singh: The woman who was dragged to death in Delhi's hit-and-run case". BBC News. 2023-01-04. Retrieved 2023-01-06.
  2. ^ "Delhi hit-and-run: Young woman's horrific death shocks India". BBC News. January 3, 2023.
  3. ^ "Delhi hit-and-run horror: Why did the victim's friend flee the scene?". Firstpost. January 3, 2023.
  4. ^ ""I Felt So Hopeless That I Went Home": Friend Recounts Delhi Car Horror". NDTV.com.
  5. ^ a b c "Death of Anjali Singh: Delhi road accident once again shows how public spaces are hostile to women". Indian Express. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
  6. ^ "Anjali's death begs the question: Where were the police?". January 3, 2023.
  7. ^ "Delhi girl dragged: FSL team conducts mechanical inspection of car in hit-and-run case | Delhi News - Times of India". The Times of India. 4 January 2023.
  8. ^ Taskin, Bismee (January 4, 2023). "Anjali Singh, Delhi's hit-and-run victim, 'risked life' to earn for family & hoped to open salon".
  9. ^ "Woman's body dragged under car for more than an hour after hit and run". The Independent. January 3, 2023.
  10. ^ "Does India need Australia's ignition interlock system to curb drunk driving?". India Today.
  11. ^ a b "Woman's Skull Fractured, Ribs Exposed: Extent Of Delhi Car Horror". NDTV.com.
  12. ^ Service, Tribune News. "Delhi car-drag horror case: Post-mortem report of Sultanpuri victim reveals no sexual assault". Tribuneindia News Service.
  13. ^ "Delhi hit & run Case | Kanjhawala Car Accident: Anjali Singh was family's sole breadwinner, her father passed away 8 years ago | Delhi News - Times of India". The Times of India. 3 January 2023.
  14. ^ "Anjali's story: Ambitious, family's sole breadwinner". January 2, 2023.
  15. ^ "Who was Anjali Singh: The 20-year-old who loved dancing on Punjabi songs; sex assault ruled out in autopsy". Firstpost. January 3, 2023.
  16. ^ "Delhi Car Horror Victim Worked As Wedding Usher, Bought Scooty Last Year". NDTV.com.
  17. ^ "Woman dragged by car for 4 km worked at event management company, was returning home from work". January 2, 2023.
  18. ^ "Delhi accident victim's friend records statement, says car driver at fault". Deccan Herald. January 3, 2023.
  19. ^ "Kanjhawala death: Nidhi booked Delhi Oyo Room 104 for Rs 800, Anjali was abusing her; here's what she told police". DNA India.
  20. ^ "Delhi hit-and-run case: Car occupants knew victim was stuck beneath, alleges friend and eyewitness". Deccan Herald. January 3, 2023.
  21. ^ a b c "Murthal trip gone wrong: Kin of accused in Anjali Singh case recall fateful night". January 4, 2023.
  22. ^ "2 Bottles Of Liquor, Murthal Joyride: What 5 Men In Car Did Before Delhi Horror". NDTV.com.
  23. ^ "Woman riding scooter dies after being hit by car in Delhi, dragged for 4-5 km | Delhi News - Times of India". The Times of India. 2 Jan 2023. Retrieved 2023-01-08.
  24. ^ Ghosh, Poulomi (2023-01-05). "Kanjhawala death case: 10 police vehicles couldn't track killer car; contradictory claims about Anjali | Top points". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 2023-01-08.
  25. ^ "Outrage in India after woman dragged by car for an hour after collision". independent. Retrieved 2023-01-07.
  26. ^ "60 hours after Anjali's horrific death in Delhi, many questions but few answers". India Today.
  27. ^ "New Horror In Delhi Case: Driver Felt Something Was Wrong, Others Said No". NDTV.com.
  28. ^ "Kanjhawala Road Accident: Men removed woman's body from car, drove away | Delhi News - Times of India". The Times of India. 3 January 2023.
  29. ^ "Delhi car-drag horror: Anjali's family rejects her 'friend' Nidhi's claims; cops question 7 men who were at New Year party with them". Tribuneindia News Service. 5 Jan 2023. Retrieved 2023-01-06.
  30. ^ "40 injuries tell the story of Anjali's horror, police rule out sexual assault". January 4, 2023.
  31. ^ "Delhi Horror: Brain Matter Missing, Skull Open, Spine Broken, 40 Injuries, Says Anjali's Autopsy Report". News18. January 3, 2023.
  32. ^ Tewari, Samridhi (January 3, 2023). "Delhi hit-and-run case: Police trace victim's companion". The Hindu – via www.thehindu.com.
  33. ^ "Delhi Girl Accident | Kanjhawala hit and run case: How cops joined the dots, tracked accused in 3 hours | Delhi News - Times of India". The Times of India. 4 January 2023.
  34. ^ "In Delhi hit-and-run, one of the accused is a BJP man, his poster was outside police station". January 2, 2023.
  35. ^ "Men Who Dragged Woman's Body 13 km Had Borrowed Car Hours Earlier: Police". NDTV.com.
  36. ^ "New CCTV Footage Establishes The Full Horror Of Delhi Woman Dragged By Car". NDTV.com.
  37. ^ Bureau, ABP News (January 2, 2023). "Dragged Body For 1 And Half Hours: Eyewitness Narrates Horrific Details Of Sultanpuri Incident". news.abplive.com. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  38. ^ Kumar, Shadab Moizee, Dhananjay (January 3, 2023). "Kanjhawala Case: Witness 'Spoke to Delhi Police 18-20 Times But Was Ignored'". TheQuint.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  39. ^ "Delhi horror: CCTV footage shows Anjali's friend Nidhi entering home at 2.30am". Hindustan Times. January 4, 2023.
  40. ^ "Anjali Death Case: Is Friend Nidhi's Version Reliable? 3 Claims That Point Out Loopholes in Her Story". News18. January 4, 2023.
  41. ^ "Kanjhawala Case: Delhi Police adds 'destruction of evidence' section to FIR". January 5, 2023.
  42. ^ "Delhi hit-and-drag case: 'Accused knew woman was trapped under car, kept driving to avoid getting caught'". The Times of India. 9 January 2023.
  43. ^ "Seventh accused in Kanjhawala case surrenders before police". 6 January 2023.
  44. ^ Taskin, Bismee (January 5, 2023). "How accused's night of revelry ended in tragedy for Anjali — 'no licence, drunken trip to Murthal'".
  45. ^ "Delhi horror: Accused were aware of human body under car, two more men involved, say police". India Today.
  46. ^ "Car owner, driver's cousin held in Delhi's Kanjhawala accident case". The Times of India. 7 January 2023.
  47. ^ "Delhi: One accused in Kanjhawala girl dragging case gets bail". The Times of India. 8 January 2023.
  48. ^ "Delhi Car Horror: 2 More Were Involved, Say Cops, Suspects Seen On CCTV". NDTV.com.
  49. ^ "Sultanpuri hit-and-run case: Two more men were involved, say Delhi Police". January 5, 2023.
  50. ^ "Police looking for 2 men who 'shielded' accused in Kanjhawla incident". January 5, 2023.
  51. ^ "Sultanpuri accident witness Nidhi was arrested in 2020 for smuggling drugs". 7 January 2023.
  52. ^ a b "Delhi hit-and-run case: Kanjhawala witness under drug cloud, Delhi Police probing". The Times of India. 8 January 2023.
  53. ^ "Delhi horror: Victim Anjali met with accident 6 months ago, narrowly survived | Video". India Today.
  54. ^ "Kanjhawala horror: Section 302 against accused; Delhi cops to be suspended, say sources". 12 January 2023.
  55. ^ "Delhi hit-and-drag case: Police file 800-page chargesheet, four charged with murder". India Today.
  56. ^ "Kanjhawala hit-and-drag case: Delhi Police files 800-page chargesheet". April 1, 2023 – via www.thehindu.com.
  57. ^ "Sultanpuri accident: 12 AAP MLAs meet top cop, demand outer district's DCP be removed". Hindustan Times. January 4, 2023.
  58. ^ "She was drunk, insisted on driving: Sultanpuri victim's friend, who fled after accident, tells cops". The Economic Times.
  59. ^ ""Police Response System Collapsed": Kiran Bedi On Delhi Hit-And-Run Case". NDTV.com.
  60. ^ "Shah Rukh Khan's Meer Foundation comes forward to help Delhi accident victim Anjali Singh's family". 7 January 2023.
  61. ^ "Kanjhawala hit-and-run case: On Home Ministry's recommendations, 11 Delhi policemen suspended". 13 January 2023.
  62. ^ "Anjali death: 11 Delhi Police personnel suspended for negligence in Kanjhawala incident". 13 January 2023.
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