Last Updated:January 29, 2026, 17:31 IST
The 1,845-kg Thar was parked on the legs of the businessman as he lay screaming for help outside one of Lucknow's busiest nightlife hubs, barely 30 metres from a police post
Bones shattered beyond recognition, three fractures in one leg, and severe internal injuries: a businessman was allegedly pinned under a Mahindra Thar for 25 minutes, as he lay screaming for help outside one of Lucknow’s busiest nightlife hubs – and all of this happened barely 30 metres from a police post.
The Thar, which weighs approximately 1,845 kg, was parked on the legs of Pawan Patel, a businessman in his 30s from Fatehpur in Uttar Pradesh, for at least 25 minutes before local residents and police intervened. By the time they were able to pull him out, he had lost consciousness and was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he regained his senses after three hours.
Doctors said one leg had fractured at three places, while the other suffered severe internal injuries. Patel is currently unable to walk and is undergoing treatment.
“They crushed me and waited till I fainted," Patel alleged, recounting the ordeal and said the attack was sudden, brutal and prolonged. “They reversed the Thar and parked it on my legs. I kept shouting, crying, begging. They didn’t move the vehicle. For 25 minutes, the weight stayed on me. I felt my bones breaking. After that, I fainted."
The incident took place on January 22, when Patel, his friend Prashant Sachan, and others were at Summit Building in Vibhuti Khand, Gomti Nagar. A resident of Sarojini Nagar, he had hosted a party at King Club.
Around 1 am, as the group was exiting the parking area, they came across two groups of young men engaged in a heated argument near the driveway.
“When we tried to pass through and asked them to clear the way, they started abusing us," he said. “We were not part of their fight."
According to Sachan, the situation quickly escalated. “They tried to snatch my gold chain and started beating us. We tried to retreat, but they chased us with vehicles," he said, adding that he suffered serious head and ear injuries and is also undergoing treatment.
HOW THE ATTACK UNFOLDED
As Patel ran towards the exit gate and asked the security guards to shut it, the Thar allegedly rammed him from behind, knocking him down.
The driver then allegedly reversed the vehicle and deliberately drove it onto Patel’s legs, stopping only when the wheels were firmly placed over them. Witnesses said the attackers kept the engine on, refusing to move despite his pleas.
“They were standing there casually, abusing everyone, while the boy lay crushed," said a local shopkeeper, who rushed to the spot after hearing the commotion. “People were shouting to remove the vehicle, but they didn’t care."
Local residents attempted to push the Thar away but failed due to its weight. The police finally arrived after repeated calls and, even then, the vehicle was removed only after they forcibly took the keys away from the driver. Patel was pulled out in an unconscious state and rushed to hospital.
‘BREACH OF PEACE?’
Police have arrested the perpetrators, identified as Aakash Yadav and Mohit Mewari – both residents of Rudrapur in Uttarakhand. Despite the severity of the crime and attempted murder charge, they were granted bail within a day after they were booked under preventive sections for breach of peace.
“How can someone who used a car to crush a man be booked for ‘peace disturbance’?" asked a local resident.
Perhaps the most disturbing aspect in this scenario is the location. The incident unfolded in full view of Summit Building’s parking area, barely steps away from a police post. And for nearly half an hour, the chaos continued unchecked.
The police, however, denied negligence. Inspector Amar Singh of Vibhuti Khand police station said an FIR had been registered on the victim’s complaint, the Thar seized, and efforts were on to arrest other accused.
“Clubs are shut by midnight. Security clears the premises by 1 am. We are investigating why this incident escalated," Singh said.
Residents, however, pointed out that Summit Building has a long history of violent incidents, particularly involving clubgoers, bouncers and intoxicated patrons. In recent weeks alone, at least two major brawls have been reported from the area, including one on December 31 (New Year’s Eve) and another on January 12, involving alleged assault and chain snatching by club staff.
In the backdrop of the ongoing investigation, for Patel, the physical injuries may heal but the traumatic night won’t fade.
“I still hear the sound of the engine in my head," he said. “I don’t know why they hated us so much that night. I just know they wanted to kill me."
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News india 'Crushed Me, Waited Till I Fainted': Pinned Under Thar For 25 Minutes, Lucknow Man Felt His Legs Shatter
