Disabled 69-year-old runs from pillar to post to get justice for son

It was on September 12,2008,that a speeding maxi cab (CH03A 0053) hit Navneet (40) near Sector 9/16 petrol pump in Panchkula and made the only earning member of the family bed-ridden for life. Ever since,K N Vohra,a resident of Sector 9,has been making rounds of police stations to bring the accused to book. While Navneet lies motionless in the intensive case unit of Alchemist Hospital,the police claim that the registration number of the maxi cab provided to them could not be traced due to the non-availability of records.

A shopkeeper by profession,Navneet is married and has two school-going children. He was riding his scooter when the accident occurred,damaging his ribs.

“When Navneet met with the accident that night and was fighting for life,the maxi cab driver kept standing there as a mere spectator for more than 10 minutes before running away from the spot. It was then that the passersby had noted down the registration number of the cab. But the police are now saying since the records got burnt in Chandigarh sometime ago,the vehicle cannot be traced and they are now planning to close the case,” said Vohra. He added that police officers had visited him to get his signatures before closing the case,but he refused to sign.

“Navneet’s condition deteriorated recently and while his spleen was amputated by the doctors,both valves of the heart have been replaced. My son is still in the ICU of a private hospital,fighting for life,and the police,instead of punishing the accused,are asking me to sign some papers so that they can close the case. Even a visit to the Panchkula superintendent of police proved futile,” said Vohra.

He said despite no source of income,he had spent around Rs 6 lakh on the treatment of his son.

“I lost my left leg in an accident long ago. My wife,Shobha (62),is also old and does not keep well. All I want now is justice and to see the accused behind the bars,” said Vohra.

Talking to Newsline,Panchkula SP Sandeep Khirwar said: “Despite several efforts,the registration number of the maxi cab

could not be traced as the registration records at Chandigarh are not available. The pace of investigations sometimes slows down,but cases are never closed. Our efforts are still on to trace the vehicle.”