Reckless driver surrenders KATHMANDU: Biplab Man Singh Dangol — the driver of Honda City car that mowed down six pedestrians on Bhotahiti footpath yesterday morning — surrendered to the police after 22 hours of the accident. According to Metropolitan Police Range Kathmandu, Dangol (20), a resident of Khichapokhari, showed up at the law enforcement agency at 11.30 pm yesterday. He was flanked by his father Bidhya Man and elder brother Sohel Man. Six innocent pedestrians, including five Indian migrant workers and a local schoolboy, were killed while another Indian national was seriously injured when the speeding car knocked them down in the capital at 1 am. It is learnt that Dangol does not possess a driving licence. “He failed to produce his driving licence when asked to do so,” said a source. “Investigation into the accident is in progress,” informed SP Nawa Raj Silwal, in-charge, MPRK. He said initial investigation pointed to reckless and drunken driving. “The speeding car went out of control while trying to overtake a motorcycle and slammed into the roadside iron bars. This is all I know,” SP Silwal quoted Dangol as saying to the cops. According to Silwal, three others were aboard the ill-fated vehicle at the time of fatal accident. However, they sustained only minor injuries. They have been identified as Sekhar Agrawal of Chhetrapati, Soji Shrestha of Ombahal and Abhijeet from Bangalore. The SP said police administration was trying to arrest and interrogate those accompanying Dangol on that night. Before going out for a spin, Dangol had celebrated his 20th birthday with his friends and relatives at his house. It is learnt that alcohol was served in the party that lasted more than six hours. According to Silwal, around 11.30 pm, Dangol, under the influence of alcohol, went out in the vehicle to drop his friends to their homes. He was on way to Jamal to drop Agrawal. “I fled the site on a taxi and went to sleep in one of my friends’ house in Dhalku. At that moment, I didn’t care about my three friends,” Silwal quoted Dangol as saying. Dangol, who has enrolled as a BBM student in a college in Bangalore, regretted for not joining the classes on schedule. He had to return to Bangalore three days before the accident occurred. “I overstayed here to celebrate my 20th birthday,” he told the police officials. For his parents, Biplab Man, who recently completed Plus Two from Everest Multiple College at Thapathali, was never an obedient son. He used to do whatever he liked, SP Silwal quoted Bidhya Man as saying. Lapses in police case KATHMANDU: The law enforcement authorities took Dangol’s blood sample for lab test after more than 30 hours of the mishap. According to pathologists, the lab test can identify the traces of alcohol only if the blood sample is tested within 12 hours of consumption. SP Nawa Raj Silwal said that Dangol was taken to hospital for medical check on Thursday morning only. Dr Harihar Wasti, forensic medical expert at Institute of Medicine, said the blood test should be done as soon as possible for finding out the amount of alcohol consumption. He said it would be difficult to find out the traces of alcohol and drug components after 12 hours as they would have been excreted out. “Toxicology test is also a must within 24 hours. But the driver of yesterday’s incident surrendered after 24 hours,” he said. ---HNS