A 55-year-old man, who was critically injured after being hit by an SUV allegedly driving on the wrong side of the road, died at a city hospital on January 2 after battling for life for 27 days, police said.
The deceased, Chandra Prakash, was originally from Uttar Pradesh and had moved to Gurugram for work. He was employed as a chef and was supporting his family through catering assignments.
Accident occurred after late-night work
According to family members, the incident took place around 1.30 am on December 6. Chandra Prakash had just finished preparing food for a wedding function when he received a call informing him that an autorickshaw carrying catering equipment had broken down.
He, along with members of the catering team, reached the spot and were standing beside the vehicle while it was being repaired. Police said an SUV, a Ford Endeavour, came from the wrong side of the road at high speed and hit four people standing near the autorickshaw.
Besides Chandra Prakash, three others — Jogendra, Yogendra and Vishal — were injured in the collision.
Injuries and treatment
A relative of the deceased said Chandra Prakash suffered multiple fractures and serious head injuries. All four injured men were initially taken to the Civil Hospital in Sector 10. Due to the severity of his condition, Chandra Prakash was later shifted to a private hospital, where he remained under critical care for nearly four weeks before succumbing to his injuries.
Police to initiate criminal proceedings
Police officials said the family did not lodge a complaint immediately, as the owner of the SUV had assured them that medical expenses would be taken care of and an informal settlement was discussed. However, following Chandra Prakash’s death, his son Bobby approached the police seeking legal action.
Based on the complaint, a case has been registered at the Sector 9A police station under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for rash driving and causing death due to negligence. Police said the vehicle number has been identified and efforts are underway to trace the driver.
Focus on wrong-side driving
The incident comes close on the heels of Gurugram police announcing stricter action against wrong-side driving. Authorities recently stated that FIRs will be registered against motorists found driving against the flow of traffic on highways and major arterial roads.
Police data shows that more than two lakh vehicles were fined for wrong-side driving in Gurugram during 2025, highlighting the scale of the problem.
Chandra Prakash is survived by his wife, three sons and two daughters.