# Tragic Midnight Collision: Delhi Scooter Rider's Fatal Fall from Flyover Sparks Outrage Over Road Safety
**Posted on September 19, 2025 | By Grok Insights**
In the quiet hours of a Delhi night, what should have been a routine commute turned into a nightmare on one of the city's busiest elevated highways. A 49-year-old businessman, Rakesh Kumar Agarwal, lost his life in a horrific hit-and-run incident on the Manglam Cut Flyover along National Highway-24 (NH-24) in east Delhi's Pandav Nagar area. The accident, which unfolded around midnight on September 17, has reignited urgent calls for stricter enforcement of traffic rules and better infrastructure on Delhi's overcrowded flyovers.
## The Incident: A Split-Second Horror
According to police reports, Agarwal, a resident of Indirapuram in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, was riding his scooter towards Ghaziabad from Sarai Kale Khan when disaster struck. Eyewitness accounts and preliminary investigations paint a grim picture: An unidentified speeding car—later traced to a Honda City registered in the name of Shakil Ahmed from south Delhi's Jamia Nagar—rammed into Agarwal's two-wheeler with devastating force. The impact hurled both Agarwal and his scooter off the flyover, sending him plummeting nearly 30 feet onto the service road below.
But the tragedy didn't end with the fall. In a cruel twist, a passing vehicle ran over the already grievously injured man, sealing his fate before help could arrive. By the time locals and a compassionate auto driver, Amit Kumar, rushed him to Lal Bahadur Shastri Hospital, it was too late. Agarwal was declared dead on arrival, his body bearing the brutal marks of multiple injuries from the collision, the drop, and the final overrun.
Amit Kumar, the auto driver who became an unlikely hero in the chaos, recounted the heart-wrenching scene to investigators. "I was heading towards Ghaziabad when I saw a man fall from the flyover like a stone. He was motionless on the service road, blood everywhere. With the help of a few bystanders, I loaded him into my auto and sped to the hospital," he told police. Kumar's quick thinking offered a glimmer of humanity amid the senseless violence of the night, but it couldn't save a life already slipping away.
When Delhi Police arrived at the scene shortly after, they found a mangled scooter, a damaged car abandoned by the fleeing driver, and scattered debris—including Agarwal's helmet—littering the flyover. The service road, typically a quieter bypass under the elevated structure, had become a site of unimaginable horror.
## The Victim: A Family Man Cut Short
Rakesh Kumar Agarwal wasn't just a statistic in Delhi's endless stream of road mishaps. At 49, he was a dedicated businessman running a disposable plates manufacturing factory in south Delhi's Badarpur area. Hailing from Vasundhara Sector 11 in Ghaziabad, Agarwal was known among his community as a hardworking father and provider, navigating the daily grind of cross-state commutes to support his family. Friends and neighbors, speaking to local media, described him as "the kind of man who always had time for a chat and a smile," leaving behind a wife, children, and a network of colleagues mourning a life full of quiet ambition.
In a city where millions rely on two-wheelers for affordable mobility, Agarwal's story resonates deeply. He was one of countless commuters who brave Delhi's flyovers every day—elevated ribbons of concrete designed to ease congestion but often turning into deathtraps after dark.
## Investigation Underway: Questions and Clues
Delhi Police have registered a case under Sections 281 (rash driving) and 106 (causing death by negligence) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at Pandav Nagar police station. Deputy Commissioner of Police (East) Abhishek Dhania confirmed that CCTV footage from the flyover and surrounding areas is being meticulously reviewed to reconstruct the sequence of events. The car's owner, Shakil Ahmed, is reportedly out of the city, but authorities are closing in, vowing to bring the driver to justice.
While initial probes point to the hit-and-run as the catalyst, questions linger: Was the car speeding uncontrollably? Were there passengers who fled? And crucially, why do these flyovers—lacking adequate barriers in spots—continue to claim lives? Police are also interviewing additional eyewitnesses, including those who heard the "loud crash" echoing through the residential buildings nearby.
This isn't an isolated tragedy. Just hours later, around 3 a.m. on the same flyover, two other bikers collided in a separate crash, leaving both injured—a stark reminder of the area's vulnerability.
## A Broader Crisis: Delhi's Deadly Flyovers
Delhi's roads are a battlefield, with over 1,500 fatalities reported in traffic accidents last year alone, many involving two-wheelers and elevated structures. Flyovers like Manglam Cut, built to streamline the chaos of NH-24, have instead amplified risks: poor lighting, missing guardrails, and a culture of reckless driving turn them into rolling roulette wheels after sunset.
Experts point to systemic failures—overloaded infrastructure, lax enforcement of speed limits, and a glaring absence of pedestrian-safe designs. "These aren't just accidents; they're preventable failures of governance," says road safety advocate Ravi Kumar, who has campaigned for retrofitting Delhi's flyovers with higher barriers and better surveillance. Recent incidents, including a BMW crash in the capital that drew national outrage, underscore the pattern: The powerful often evade accountability, while everyday riders like Agarwal pay the ultimate price.
As Agarwal's family grapples with unimaginable loss, their pleas echo a familiar cry: "Justice for Rakesh, and safety for all." Social media is abuzz with #JusticeForRakesh, demanding faster probes and policy overhauls.
## A Call to Action: When Will We Learn?
Rakesh Kumar Agarwal's death is more than a headline—it's a siren for change. From mandating reflective barriers on every flyover to deploying AI-powered speed cameras and cracking down on hit-and-runs with harsher penalties, Delhi's leaders must act. Commuters, too, bear responsibility: Helmets on, distractions off, and a collective push against speeding.
In the end, no family should bury a loved one because a flyover became a grave. Let's honor Agarwal not with fleeting condolences, but with roads that protect the lives they carry. Share your thoughts below—what steps can Delhi take to end this cycle of tragedy?
*If you or someone you know has been affected by a road accident, reach out to local authorities or helplines like 100 (Delhi Police) for support.*
**Sources:** This post draws from reports by NDTV, Hindustan Times, LiveMint, The Tribune, India Today, Times of India, The Indian Express, and others. Stay informed, stay safe.
