New Delhi: A six-year-old girl was killed while her grandmother sustained injuries after the e-rickshaw in which they were travelling collided with a car and overturned in west Delhi’s Janakpuri area, an official said on Thursday, February 19.

Speaking to PTI, the grandmother recalled the horror, saying they had just begun their routine journey to school when tragedy struck.

“I had boarded the e-rickshaw with my granddaughter and we were on our way to her school. It was an ordinary morning. Suddenly, a speeding car rammed into our rickshaw with tremendous force. Before I could understand what had happened, I was thrown onto the road,” she said.

Her voice trembled as she described the scene. “When I opened my eyes, I was lying on the ground. My granddaughter was lying beside me. My hand was soaked in blood. I was in shock and pain, but all I could think about was her,” she told PTI.

The grandmother said she saw the girl bleeding profusely. “I begged a car driver, who was standing there watching us, to help and take the child to the hospital. Instead of helping, he ran away. I don’t remember if it was the same car which hit us,” she alleged, breaking down.

The child’s mother who works at a hospital said she got a call from her mother after the accident.

“A hospital staff saw the entire incident. She later told me that my elderly mother was crying and pleading for help on the road. My daughter was gasping for breath. People had gathered, but no one stepped forward to assist them,” she said, struggling to hold back tears.

She added that it was a nurse from the hospital who rushed her daughter to the facility with the help of another person.

“The car that hit the rickshaw was being driven at a very high speed. If help had come sooner, maybe things would have been different,” she said.

According to police, a PCR call regarding an accident involving a minor girl was received from Mata Chanan Devi Hospital on the morning of February 17.

The victim and her maternal grandmother, Mercy Xavier (57), a resident of Lajwanti Garden, were initially taken to Mata Chanan Devi Hospital after sustaining injuries in the accident. They were later shifted to an advanced facility in Dwarka.

According to police, the girl succumbed to injuries during treatment.

“During enquiry, Mercy Xavier told police that around 7.40 am on February 17, she was travelling in an e-rickshaw with her granddaughter. Near the Janakpuri Fire Station, the e-rickshaw collided with a car and overturned, throwing them both onto the road, causing serious injuries,” the officer said, adding that Xavier is undergoing treatment and said to be stable.

Based on preliminary findings, a case has been registered at the Janakpuri police station under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita pertaining to rash and negligent driving causing death.

During investigation, the offending vehicle was seized.

“The accused driver has been identified as Sanjeev. He was apprehended on Wednesday. Statements of witnesses are being recorded and CCTV footage from cameras installed near the fire station and surrounding areas is being examined to reconstruct the sequence of events,” the officer said.

The fatal accident has once again brought focus on e-rickshaws operating in the city. According to official data, over two lakh e-rickshaws are registered in Delhi.

However, sources in the enforcement agencies said the actual number plying on roads is significantly higher, as many vehicles operate without proper registration or compliance with safety norms.

A police source pointed out that a large number of e-rickshaws run in congested residential and market areas, often without adherence to traffic rules. In many cases, vehicles are overloaded or driven by operators with limited training, increasing the risk of accidents.

Police said further investigation into the death of the girl is underway.