'Fun-reel' frenzy snatched my son's dreams, says Dwarka crash victim's mother

In a voice choked with grief and anger, a single mother who had raised her only child said on Tuesday that a "fun reel" — a reckless stunt for social media fame — has crushed not just her 23-year-old son but all the dreams that she had built around him.

Sahil Dhaneshra, a final-semester BBA student who had to drop out of college due to financial constraints, was on his way to work on February 3 when a Sports Utility Vehicle (Mahindra Scorpio N), allegedly being driven by a 17-year-old boy with his sister seated next to him, collided head-on with his motorcycle, killing him on the spot. The SUV later also collided with a stationary taxi, injuring its driver.

Standing amid his pictures and medals in her son's bedroom, Inna Makan pointed to motivational quotes still written on the wall — "Obsession is going to beat talent every time" and "Dream discipline".

"My son believed in hard work, not short cuts," Makan told PTI Videos.

She said someone else's fun reel has taken her son's life away and, along with it, all the dreams she had for her child.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Dwarka) Ankit Singh said the accused had first claimed that his age was 19, but after a verification of documents, he was found to be a minor. "His father was bound down and will be charge-sheeted for allowing the minor to drive a vehicle under the Motor Vehicles Act," the DCP added.

Inna Makan said her son's office was just two minutes away from the spot where he met with the accident, adding that he was supposed to go abroad in a few months.

She said Sahil was a student of the St Joseph's College in Nainital and had big ambitions.

"My son was very hardworking and wanted to work abroad. He studied in a private college in Nainital. He was a super performer in many sports," she said, her voice breaking. "A fun reel has snatched the life of my child. They must be punished."

A clip of the reel has surfaced on the internet, purportedly showing the SUV taking a turn and then charging down a road without a divider. About 12 seconds into the clip, the car collides head-on with the motorcycle.

A case under sections 281 (rash driving), 106(1) (causing death by negligence) and 125(a) (act endangering life or personal safety of others) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) was registered at the Dwarka South police station. The accident took place near the Lal Bahadur Shastri College and was reported at 11:57 am on February 3.

The 17-year-old boy was found without a driving licence and was apprehended. He was produced before the Juvenile Justice Board before being granted interim bail on February 10, as he is a Class-10 student appearing in his exams.

Inna Makan said she has heard that the teen's father is a transporter and the SUV has multiple cases of traffic violations against it. "There are 13 challans in Delhi and a few in Uttar Pradesh," she claimed.

She asserted that she will fight for justice for her son. "I will not accept the law like this. Law and order is for the public," she said. "This cannot simply be called an accident. This is criminal activity," she said.

Accusing the teen of speeding for reels, she said, "My son was going to build a life abroad. He was disciplined. I will not step back."

Manav Sachdeva, a friend of the victim, said, "Sahil was a final-year BBA student. He wanted to go to Germany for a master's degree. He had to discontinue his studies midway due to financial constraints as his mother was a single parent."

He said Sahil was always supportive of his mother and actively helped her in her business.

"I would often see him running around managing work, I rarely saw him sitting idle at home. Though he could not meet us very frequently, we understood his situation and responsibilities. He was highly motivated and disciplined. He would constantly encourage us to work hard and stay focused on our goals, often reminding us that we must pursue our dreams while standing by our parents," Sachdeva said.

The DCP said following the accident, the minor was apprehended and produced before the Juvenile Justice Board, which directed that he be sent to an observation home. His father was also bound down immediately, the officer said, adding that all the legal proceedings are being carried out.

"We are checking if the boy or his sister was making reels at the time of the accident," he said.