A Habitual Offender? Gurugram Accident Accused Had History of Wrong-Side Driving Fines

New Delhi: The individual involved in the deadly SUV-bike crash in Gurugram, which claimed the life of 23-year-old Akshat Garg, has a record of offenses, including fines for driving on the wrong side of the road and improper parking. Last week, Garg lost his life when his motorcycle was hit by an SUV that was coming from the wrong direction on Golf Course Road in DLF Phase II. 

Kuldeep Kumar Thakur, the accused, was arrested but has since been granted bail. If reports are to be believed, he was challaned by Haryana Police on August 24 for wrong-side driving and wrong parking.  

Following his arrest in connection with Garg's death, Thakur failed to provide his driving license. Several reports claimed that Thakur tried to contact an acquaintance to procure a backdated driving license. Speaking to a leading portal, the aide said "Kuldeep Thakur reached out to me on September 17 for a backdated driving license. I had no clue about it and routed the query to another person." The aide also mentioned that Thakur called him for a lawyer on the day of the accident.

Video captured on a GoPro camera worn by Garg's biker friend showed the Mahindra 3XO SUV being driven on the wrong side. Notably, the SUV had a BJP sticker on its bonnet. The force of the collision flung Akshat Garg above the SUV, leaving his motorcycle mangled beyond recognition. He was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival.

In response to the public outrage over the incident, senior police officer Vikas Kaushik stated that the accused has not yet produced his driving license, leading police to assume that he does not possess one. "I have instructed the police to add the relevant sections again and take further action," Kaushik said. He added, “If required, the accused can be arrested again.”