In order to create awareness on "underage driving" and encourage people to "drive slow", a group of people held a candlelight vigil here to mark the death anniversary of business consultant Siddharth Sharma, who was mowed down by an underage driver last year.
Sharma was hit by a Mercedes driven by a teenager on April 4 at 8.30 p.m. in the Civil Lines area of north Delhi.
"We, the friends and family of Siddharth Sharma lighted candles at the accident spot at 8.30 p.m. (accident time) in remembrance. We are also trying to spread awareness about underage driving and rash driving," Shilpa Sharma, the sister of Siddharth, said.
"This event is to send a message to the society and the nation, that it is not cool to drive fast and definitely not fun as it can kill not just a person but the whole family," Shilpa said.
The Delhi Police in March chargesheeted the minor's father under charges dealing with abetment to culpable homicide for letting his son drive despite knowing he had caused an accident earlier.
In the first prosecution under the amended Juvenile Justice Act, the Juvenile Justice Board on June 4, 2016, ordered that the minor will be tried as an adult while allowing the Delhi Police plea to try the offender -- who was 17 in April last year -- as an adult as the offence was defined as heinous crime.
The police, in their chargesheet filed on May 26 last year, had charged the juvenile with culpable homicide not amounting to murder, which entails a maximum of 10 years in jail.
In the final investigation report, the police charged the juvenile with offences under the Indian Penal Code's Sections 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 279 (driving on a public way so rashly or negligently as to endanger human life) and 337 (causing hurt by an act which endangers human life).
Both father and the son are out on bail.
--IANS
akk/lok/vt
Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content
