NEW DELHI — Traffic moving towards Terminal 3 (T-3) of the Indira Gandhi International Airport came to a grinding halt on Tuesday afternoon following a tragic hit-and-run incident near Mehram Nagar in the Delhi Cantonment area. A speeding luxury BMW mowed down a 48-year-old woman as she was crossing the street, killing her instantly. The accident triggered massive outrage among local residents, who staged a road blockade that disrupted vehicular movement toward the international airport terminal for nearly three hours.
Details of the Tragic Accident
The fatal collision took place around 12:00 PM on Tuesday in the Mehram Nagar locality, situated in close proximity to Delhi Airport’s Terminal 3 corridor. According to eyewitnesses and preliminary police inquiries, the victim was crossing the road at a marked zebra crossing during her lunch break when a high-speed BMW collided with her.
The severity of the impact was so intense that the woman was hurled several feet away and succumbed to her injuries on the spot. Eyewitnesses reported that the vehicle was traveling far above the local speed limit at the time of the crash.
Identification of Victim and Driver
The deceased was identified as 48-year-old Jaiwanti, a resident of the area who worked as a house help and cleaner affiliated with the Cantonment Board. She was on her way to get lunch when the tragic incident occurred.
Delhi Police reacted promptly following alerts from bystanders and managed to trace and apprehend the vehicle driver shortly after the incident. The driver has been identified as 38-year-old Deepak, a resident of Pratap Nagar in Mandoli, East Delhi. Police have impounded the BMW car involved in the hit-and-run.
Local Outrage and Traffic Diversions Near T-3 Terminal
News of Jaiwanti's death spread quickly throughout Mehram Nagar, prompting her family members, co-workers, and dozens of angry local residents to gather at the crash site. Demonstrators blocked the main arterial road connecting Delhi Cantonment to Indira Gandhi International Airport, demanding strict legal measures against the driver and improved pedestrian safety measures along the corridor.
The protest created a major traffic bottleneck for nearly three hours, causing heavy congestion along the key route leading to T-3. Traffic police officials were deployed to manage the situation, diverting incoming vehicles through alternate routes via Dwarka and Gurgaon highways to assist commuters and air travelers trying to reach the airport terminals on time. The blockade was cleared after senior police officers assured the protesters that swift, strict action would be taken under law.
Police Action and Investigation
A case has been formally registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) covering rash driving, causing death by negligence, and endangering personal safety.
Investigators are scanning CCTV footage from cameras installed along the route to determine the exact sequence of events, verify the speed of the vehicle, and ascertain whether alcohol or distracted driving played a role. Further technical inspection of the impounded vehicle is currently underway as part of the legal proceedings.
