Girl’s kin launch SMS campaign, ask eyewitnesses to come forward

Four days after mishap at Juhu, her relatives say CCTV footage at accident tampered with

Divyesh Singh

Posted On Tuesday, September 11, 2012 at 02:20:24 PM

Alleging that the evidence has been tampered with, relatives and friends of Neelam Bharadwaj - the 18-year-old aspiring model who was killed in Juhu on September 7 when a speeding Honda City allegedly rammed the autorickshaw she was travelling in - have launched an SMS campaign calling for eyewitnesses to come forward.

The accident occurred around 7.30 am, when the victim was on her way to a hotel in Juhu to meet a relative. Police arrested the Honda City driver, 25-year-old Purvesh Patkar, a resident of Malad.Patkar who is out on bail said in his statement that he never collided with the autorickshaw; he swerved to avoid a speeding SUV, and rammed into a lamp post. He said that passers-by mistook his vehicle for the one that crashed into the autorickshaw, and handed him over to the police.

The victim- Neelam Bharadwaj

Police have not been able to trace the autorickshaw in which Bharadwaj was travelling, nor have they managed to identify the auto driver.Officers from D N Nagar Police Station, who are investigating the accident, have also failed to access the CCTV footage of the accident spot, saying the servers have been sent for repairs.

Bharadwaj's relatives said these were just excuses to cover up shoddy investigation and there was every possibility that the accused tampered with the evidence and persuaded the auto driver to go into hiding.

The SMS circulated by one of the victim’s friends reads, “The auto driver is nowhere to be found. All those who saw the incident, shot the video, took photos or even noted the autorickshaw number are requested to inform us on 9930730211. Please send this message across, it could be a great help in the fight for justice.”

Inspector Vijay Bhoite from D N Nagar Police Station said there was no let-up in investigations. “We have to wait for the CCTV footage and the servers hosting the cameras have been sent for repairs,” he said.

The victim’s cousin, Kamlesh Patidar, said he had information that a few people had shot the video of the accident. “People who have the evidence need to come forward because truth needs to come out. We have launched a public appeal; that’s the only way we can get justice for Neelam,” he said.

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Girl’s kin launch SMS campaign, ask eyewitnesses to come forward

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