News Flash Daily
20 February 
From Civil Lines to Mayur Vihar and Samaypur Badli, Underage Driving Cases Expose Legal Delays, Financial Ruin and Calls for Accountability
New Delhi: Fatal road accidents involving minor drivers in the national capital have devastated multiple families over the past decade, leaving them emotionally shattered, financially strained, and locked in prolonged legal battles. From Civil Lines in 2016 to Mayur Vihar in 2024 and Samaypur Badli last year, underage drivers behind the wheel have altered lives irreversibly, raising serious questions about parental responsibility, law enforcement, and judicial delays.
2016 Civil Lines Case: A Family’s Decade-Long Legal Battle
In 2016, Siddharth Sharma, a 32-year-old marketing executive, was fatally struck by a speeding Mercedes allegedly driven by a minor in Civil Lines. His sudden death left his family devastated.
His sister, Shilpa Mittal, speaking about the prolonged legal struggle, said the tragedy reflects a broader societal failure.
“We have completely failed as a society. Parents give their children vehicles to drive, and society does not object. People take pride in saying, ‘Our young son or daughter drives a car.’ This is not a matter of pride, but a shame. Minors should not be driving,” she said.
Criticising the slow pace of investigation and trial proceedings, she added, “I have been fighting this case for 10 years. Nothing can bring my brother back. For me, it will never be a victory. But we are fighting to set a precedent — that you cannot simply get away with this crime.”
She further shared the emotional toll of the legal process. “The system entangles you so much in the pursuit of justice that you cannot even grieve properly. I am still fighting,” she said.
Mayur Vihar Crash: Family Loses Sole Breadwinner
In March 2024, 22-year-old Sheetal Devi was killed and nine others injured after a 17-year-old allegedly rammed his car into shoppers at a market in east Delhi’s Mayur Vihar.
Sheetal’s brother, Kapil Dev, said her death forced him to abandon his education and start working to support the family.
“My sister worked at a factory in Noida, earning around Rs 10,000 per month. She supported our studies and sent money to our parents in Lakhimpur Kheri. She had come to Delhi just six months earlier to help the family,” he said.
The family, he claimed, has not received any compensation. “She went to the market to shop before travelling home for Holi. By the time I reached the hospital, she was gone. With her gone, it feels like our entire world has collapsed,” he added.
Samaypur Badli Incident: Dreams Cut Short
In August last year, 32-year-old Sujeet Mandal was hit and dragged nearly 600 metres by a car allegedly driven by a minor in northwest Delhi’s Samaypur Badli. He succumbed to his injuries.
His brother, Ajeet Mandal, described the loss as unbearable. “Losing the eldest son, a father waiting for the birth of his child, destroyed us. Two months after his death, his daughter was born. He had dreams of building a house and securing the family’s future. Everything ended,” he said.
Sujeet was the primary breadwinner. Though Ajeet had recently begun working, the responsibility of supporting his parents, sister-in-law, and newborn niece now rests entirely on him.
The Mandal family, too, alleges that they have not received compensation and continue to pursue justice through the courts.
Rising Concern Over Underage Driving
Legal experts note that under the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019, guardians of minor drivers can face penalties and imprisonment. However, victims’ families claim that implementation on the ground remains inconsistent.
As grieving relatives continue their fight in courtrooms, their stories underline the human cost of irresponsible driving and systemic delays.
