Biker dies hitting pothole in south Delhi's Tigri; PWD, DMRC deny road jurisdiction
New Delhi (PTI): A 37-year-old biker was killed in a crash when he hit the divider and his head the road, possibly swerving to avoid a pothole, in south Delhi's Tigri area, police said on Tuesday.
Police found Rashid Khan lying on MB Road near the Hamdard Hospital crossing with over an inch-deep gash to his head.
"The area is not under CCTV coverage. Initial investigation suggested that the motorist was riding at a speed, holding his helmet in his hand and pressing brakes to avoid sewage-filled water at another location.
"He lost his balance and fell into another sewage water-filled pothole which was six inches deep. He was unconscious, which may have proved fatal," the policeman investigating the incident said.
Khan was rushed to the AIIMS Trauma Centre, where he was declared dead. His helmet was found at the accident site.
Police have filed a case several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including 281 (rash driving), the officer said.
It is not yet known whether authorities responsible for the upkeep of the road were made party to the case.
Police sources said Khan had an approximately four-inch long and 1.5-inch deep gash on the left side of his forehead. It is suspected that he fell headfirst into the water-filled pothole and lost consciousness.
Police also suspect a collision with another vehicle may be behind the accident.
A PWD official said that the road is currently in the possession of DMRC.
"PWD has written many times to them (DMRC) for repair of roads, but things did not improve. A few days ago, PWD engineers were directed to get the roads repaired in their portion and to debit expenditure from DMRC," he said.
Meanwhile, a spokesperson from DMRC said that the stretch of road does not fall under DMRC's jurisdiction.
"After verifying the matter, DMRC has confirmed that the area in question is not under our authority," he said.
Rashid Khan, who lived with his mother, was returning home when he met with the accident. He worked for a private company and earned around Rs 20-25,000 per month.
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Sujit Nair raises concerns over speculation of DMK-AIADMK understanding to block TVK
Chennai: Journalist and political commentator Sujit Nair has expressed concern over speculation that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam could explore a post-poll understanding to prevent Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam from forming the government in Tamil Nadu.
In a social media post, Sujit Nair said the election verdict in Tamil Nadu reflected a clear public demand for political change and argued that the mandate should be respected irrespective of political preferences.
Referring to reports and political discussions surrounding a possible understanding between the DMK and AIADMK, he said he hoped such developments remained only speculative conversations and did not turn into reality.
Nair stated that if such an alliance were to take shape, it would raise serious questions about ideological politics in the country. He said TVK had emerged through a democratic electoral process and that the legitimacy to govern in a parliamentary democracy comes from the people’s verdict.
According to him, attempts to prevent an electoral winner from forming the government through unexpected political arrangements may be constitutionally valid, but many people could view them as politically opportunistic.
He further said that such a move could particularly affect the political image of the DMK, which has historically projected itself around ideology, social justice and opposition politics. Nair said that in ideological terms, the DMK appeared closer to TVK than to the AIADMK, and joining hands with its long-time political rival only to remain in power could weaken its broader political narrative.
He added that the same questions would apply to the AIADMK as well, as the party had spent decades positioning itself against the DMK and such an arrangement could create discomfort among its cadre and supporters.
Drawing a comparison with Maharashtra politics in 2019, Nair said he had expressed similar views when the Shiv Sena formed an alliance with the Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party after the Assembly elections.
He said post-poll alliances between long-standing political rivals often create a public perception that ideology and electoral mandates become secondary when political power equations come into play.
Nair also said such developments increase public cynicism towards politics and reinforce the belief among voters that ideology is often sidelined after elections.
He maintained that the Tamil Nadu verdict was emphatic and said respecting both the spirit and substance of the mandate was important for the credibility of democratic politics.
