A 22-year-old man from Uttar Pradesh was arrested on Thursday for allegedly running over six people, killing four of them, in Dehradun’s Rajpur area on Wednesday evening. The accused, identified as Vansh Katyal, a resident of Moradabad, was nabbed from an inter-state bus terminal (ISBT) in Dehradun, police said.
Accident Details
According to authorities, Katyal was driving a Mercedes-Benz when he lost control and mowed down four laborers before hitting a scooty near Sai Mandir in Rajpur. The victims, identified as Mansharam (30) and Ranjit (35) from Ayodhya, Balkaran (40) from Jagjitpur Barabanki, and Durgesh from Faizabad’s Goriya Rudauli, died on the spot. Two others riding the scooty sustained injuries.
The incident occurred around 8:20 PM when the laborers were returning home after collecting payments from a contractor on the occasion of Holi. Mansharam’s uncle, Sanjay Kumar, filed a complaint at Rajpur police station, leading to Katyal’s arrest.
Arrest and Investigation
Following the accident, Katyal abandoned the Mercedes in an empty plot in Sahastradhara and fled. Local resident Mohit Malik informed police that Katyal had parked the car there, claiming it had a technical fault. He then borrowed Malik’s scooty to drop his nephew at Jakhan before disappearing.
Police analyzed CCTV footage and tracked down the silver-gray Mercedes (CH-01-CN-0665), which had visible damage on one side. Investigations revealed the vehicle had changed hands multiple times before being purchased by Lucknow-based Jatin Prasad Verma in July 2024.
Verma, who owns an organic farming business in Dehradun, told police that Katyal—his brother-in-law—had taken his car on Wednesday.
Katyal’s Statement
During interrogation, Katyal revealed that he had completed a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) and, after losing his job in Delhi, moved to Dehradun in search of work. He was living in a rented accommodation in Mohit Vihar, opposite Wadia Institute.
On the night of the accident, Katyal claimed he was returning from Rajpur with his nephew when two scooters suddenly appeared in front of his car. He alleged that his car hit the rear of one of the scooters, causing him to lose control and run over four people walking on the roadside.
Legal Action
A case has been registered at Rajpur police station, and Katyal remains in police custody as further investigations continue. Authorities are examining whether reckless driving, negligence, or other factors contributed to the deadly crash.
Sources By Agencies
