Biker killed in crash in Delhi's Dwarka; teen held for driving SUV without licence
New Delhi (PTI): A 23-year-old motorcycle rider was killed while another man sustained injured in a collision involving two cars and a motorcycle in southwest Delhi's Dwarka area on Tuesday, police said.
The fatal accident was reported at Dwarka South police station at 11.57 am following which a police team rushed to the spot where two cars -- a private SUV and a cab -- and a motorcycle were in a pile-up, they said.
According to an official, the motorcycle rider -- identified as Sahil Dhaneshra (23) -- suffered critical injuries in the crash and succumbed by the time police reached the scene. His body was shifted to Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital for postmortem examination,
The cab driver, Ajit Singh, who sustained injuries in the incident, was rushed to Indira Gandhi International Hospital for treatment. His condition is said to be stable, police said.
During verification, it was found that the driver of the SUV -- identified as Akshatra Singh (19) -- did not possess a valid driving licence, and was subsequently apprehended from the spot, the official said.
"According to initial findings, the SUV was coming from the direction of a gurdwara, while the motorcycle was approaching from the opposite direction. Following the collision between the SUV and the motorcycle, the SUV went on to hit the cab parked on the roadside," he added.
A crime team was called to the spot to carry out a detailed inspection and forensic examination of the scene was conducted to ascertain the circumstances leading to the crash. All three vehicles have been impounded for further investigation, police said.
A case has been registered in this connection and further legal action is being taken. Police said they are also examining whether factors such as speeding or negligence contributed to the accident and are recording statements of witnesses present in the area.
CCTV footage of from nearby surveillance cameras is being scanned and further investigation is underway, they added.
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CBCI urges Prime Minister Modi to condemn attacks on Christians, bring fringe groups under control
Bengaluru: Archbishop Andrews Thazhath, president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI), on Tuesday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to publicly condemn attacks on Christians and take firm steps to protect the rights of religious minorities, saying it is the constitutional duty of the government to do so.
Addressing a press conference a day ahead of the CBCI’s 37th General Body Meeting in Bengaluru, Archbishop Thazhath said the Church has consistently approached government authorities whenever incidents of violence occur, but has never resorted to counter-attacks. “Protecting the rights of minorities and Christians is the duty of the government. Whenever we raise these issues, authorities often describe the perpetrators as fringe groups. If they are fringe groups, they must be condemned and brought under control,” he said.
The CBCI president said he had personally raised the issue with Prime Minister Modi on multiple occasions, including during the Prime Minister’s recent participation in Christmas celebrations. He expressed concern over attacks targeting Christians on the basis of religion, stressing that the Church does not view the issue through a political lens. “We are not political people. There have been attacks on Christians purely on the basis of religion, and we are afraid of this trend. We want the Prime Minister to take necessary precautions and clearly condemn such acts,” he said.
Archbishop Thazhath reiterated that the Christian response to violence is guided by faith and non-violence. “Our methodology is not to counter-attack because Jesus has taught us to love all, even our enemies,” he said. He also highlighted the Christian community’s long-standing contribution to nation-building. “Christians have contributed to this country and will continue to do so. Yet, religious discrimination and attacks continue to take place in some parts of the country, which causes fear,” he added.
His remarks come weeks after a pastor, Bipin Bihari Naik, was allegedly assaulted by Bajrang Dal workers in Odisha, where he was reportedly forced to eat cow dung and chant religious slogans. Without referring to specific cases, the Archbishop said attacks on Christians occur in different forms across various regions. He recalled that in August 2025, Catholic nuns and priests from Kerala were allegedly attacked by Bajrang Dal members in Odisha.
The CBCI General Body Meeting will begin on Wednesday under the theme “Faith and the Nation: The Church’s Witness to India’s Constitutional Vision”. Former Supreme Court judge Justice K.M. Joseph and Professor D. Dominic are scheduled to address the gathering on the topic “Current Socio-Political Context and Constitutional Values”.
According to the meeting agenda, deliberations will take place against the backdrop of several developments, including recent Supreme Court directives on a public interest litigation concerning anti-conversion laws, attacks on churches and Christian institutions in different regions, and incidents of violence and intimidation reported during the Christmas season.
In a pre-meeting media briefing, Archbishop Thazhath emphasised that despite being a numerical minority, Christians have made significant contributions to India. He underlined that the Constitution guarantees minority rights and the freedom to practise religion. Countering narratives that portray Christianity as foreign, he said the faith has been present in India for nearly 2,000 years. “Christianity is inherently Indian. It is not alien,” he asserted.
The Archbishop also expressed serious concern over what he described as growing hostility towards Christians, often under the guise of enforcing anti-conversion laws. He said he had conveyed these anxieties directly to the Prime Minister.
Also present at the briefing were CBCI Secretary General Archbishop Anil J.T. Couto, Vice-President II Bishop Joseph Mar Thomas, Deputy Secretary General Fr. Mathew Koyickal, and PRO Fr. Robinson Rodrigues.
