Speeding car kills Air Force officer during R-Day rehearsal

An Air Force officer was killed when a speeding car ran over him during the Republic Day rehearsal parade in Kolkata.

The incident occurred in the early hours of Wednesday on Red Road when the important city artery was kept out of bounds for private vehicles and the rehearsal was on.

The police have registered a case under Section 302 (murder) and Section 120 B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code against the unknown driver of the vehicle that has been impounded.

According to senior police officers, the vehicle has been registered under the name of Ambia Sohrab, son of the former Rashtriya Janata Dal (MLA) from West Bengal Mohd. Sohrab, who, recently shifted loyalties to the Trinamool Congress.

Despite searches being made at the residence of Mr. Sohrab, he could not be apprehended.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee assured strict action against the guilty.

“The car raced towards Corporal Abhimanyu Gaud, the AF drill instructor supervising the parade, knocked him off his feet and continued at high speed till it hit a barricade and came to a stop,” a spokesperson of the Ministry of Defence said.