Bonnet ‘drama’: Driver arrested; cops probe new videos, counter-claims

The case followed a confrontation near Gate 4 of the park on Wednesday morning. The video purportedly showed the woman clinging to the bonnet of the car in an attempt to stop the man

LUCKNOW A day after a video of a 22-year-old woman purportedly clinging on to the bonnet of a moving car near Janeshwar Mishra Park went viral, Lucknow police formally arrested the driver and sent him to 14-day judicial custody on Thursday.

The accused, identified as Shahnawaz Ahmed, 27, a construction businessman and resident of New Mahipat Mau, was apprehended near Gate 2 of the park on Wednesday. Police confirmed that his vehicle, bearing registration number UP32 KH 8090, had been seized under Section 207 of the Motor Vehicles Act, stated an official release.

Cops were also probing the role of the accused’s friend, Danish, who was also named in the FIR. The investigation broadened after two additional, unverified videos surfaced on social media showing the accused and the woman sitting together inside the car.

DCP (east) Deeksha Sharma said cops had registered an FIR at Gomti Nagar Extension police station on the complaint of the woman, booking Shahnavaz and Danish under Sections 109 (attempt to murder) and 352 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

The case followed the confrontation near Gate 4 of the park around 6am on Wednesday. The video purportedly showed the woman clinging to the bonnet of the moving car in an attempt to stop the man she knew from driving away after an altercation near Janeshwar Mishra Park.

In the FIR, the woman alleged that the accused drove the vehicle towards her with an intention to kill her following an argument and also abused her. The 25-second video of the incident purportedly showed the car carrying the woman for some distance, stopping briefly and then moving again, causing her to fall onto the road.

Meanwhile, the accused reportedly made counter-allegations against the woman, which investigators were examining. Defending the accused, his brother spoke to the media to condemn the arrest, terming it a “one-sided action” by the police, and stated the family’s intention to move court for relief.

During questioning, the accused allegedly told police that the woman was annoying him for the past few months, said police sources.

“The accused, Shahnawaz Ahmed, 27, a resident of New Mahipat Mau under Dubagga police station, was held from near Gate 2 of Janeshwar Mishra Park on Wednesday,” said police officials on Thursday.

SHO (Gomti Nagar) Gaurav Bajpayi said the recent videos were in cops’ knowledge and that the claims made in them were being verified and being included in the probe.