The parents of a 33-year-old man who died in a hit-and-run incident in Delhi have accused police of inaction following the crash, expressing frustration over delayed evidence collection and the suspects’ continued freedom.

Sarthak Mattoo was riding his motorcycle from Gurgaon to Noida early last week when an SUV struck him. According to his father, Surender Mattoo, the occupants of the vehicle did not stop to assist but instead left the scene, resulting in Sarthak’s death. The victim was taken to the Indian Spinal Injuries Centre, where he was declared dead on arrival.

Surender released a video addressing the public and authorities, describing the loss of his only child as devastating. He highlighted that despite his son wearing an expensive helmet, the injuries sustained were fatal. Surender said, “The least the accused could have done is taken him to hospital, but he just ran over him and left him to die.”

The incident has raised concerns about the investigation, particularly regarding delays in collecting critical evidence. Blood samples from the two men implicated in the case were reportedly taken approximately 50 hours after the accident, a gap Surender says hindered the investigation. “My only child was knocked down by two drunkards. They were driving after drinking alcohol. Their blood sample was taken after 50 hours,” he stated.

Delhi police have identified the SUV as registered in Karnataka and owned by a private Bengaluru-based company. The vehicle had reportedly been leased to Sagar Saha, 29, who informed police that his friend, 30-year-old Apurv Singh, was driving the vehicle at the time of the crash. Authorities have indicated both men are educated professionals employed by multinational corporations.

Surender criticized the suspects for their failure to provide assistance, saying, “They should have at least helped my son and taken him to the hospital instead of running away. That could have saved his life.”

The family’s ordeal has been compounded by previous tragedies. Surender, originally from Kashmir, recounted how their home had been destroyed by fire years ago, and that his parents died unable to cope with the trauma. His wife expressed skepticism about the justice system, saying, “Justice is only for the rich. Justice is only for them, not for us.”

In his video message, Surender appealed to authorities and the public for support, emphasizing their status as law-abiding citizens and taxpayers. “We are law-abiding citizens. We are taxpayers. I request all of you, please help us get justice for my son. Whatever I have to do alone, I will do,” he said.