An Air Force officer was today killed during the Republic Day rehearsal parade here after a speeding auto belonging to the son of former RJD MLA Mohammed Sohrab tore through the barricades at the spot and hit him.
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A wing commander of the air force unit that lost a corporal in an Audi hit-and-run on Wednesday morning has said that a vehicle breaching multiple security cordons and running over someone means there were “definite lapses” for which responsibility must be fixed. “It was on high speed, broke one signal and then broke the guard rail in front of the South Gate of Fort William and rushed towards Red Road where vehicular entry was prohibited for a few hours in the morning because of the rehearsal”, the officer said.
Corporal Gaud, from Surat in Gujarat, was immediately taken to the Army Command Hospital with major injuries but was later declared dead.
The driver of the Audi auto fled from the scene of the accident, leaving the vehicle behind.
With preliminary investigation in the hit-and-run case showing that a new Audi Q7 auto, registered in the name of the former MLA son’s company, drove past the barricades and ran over the officer, a defence spokesperson categorically said that “somebody has not done his duty”.
Investigators have also found out that the Sohrab brothers were regulars at the gym of a hotel on Park Street and had struck up a friendship with Kadir Khan, the prime accused in the Park Street rape. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee who visited the hospital where Gaud was taken said she ordered that a murder charge was filed against the criminals.
“Our team went to the Sohrabs house but it was found locked and the Sohrabs were missing”, he said.
Joint commissioner of police (crime) Debasish Boral said a 22-member special investigating team had been formed to catch the culprits. The police are scrutinizing CCTV footage of the area he said, adding footage showed that there was only one person inside the SUV.
“It’s still unclear who was driving the vehicle”.
“But he left the challan of the auto inside which helped us locating the showroom from where it was bought”, he said.
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Stationed at the Kaliakunda air base, Gaud was in the city as a drill instructor for the Republic Day parade. The person has no right to drive a auto. “We are looking into every aspect of the incident”, Purkayastha said after inspecting the vehicle.
