Image Source: THE INDIAN EXPRESS

A 31-year-old man in an inebriated state, allegedly rammed his car into the perimeter wall of Qutub Minar in the national capital at around 3:45 am on Monday. In the incident, the four-wheeled vehicle blew into flames and nearly 50 metres of the heritage site’s complex wall has got damaged. Minutes before the car blasted, the on-duty guards of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) pulled the errant driver, identified as Arun Chauhan, out of the vehicle and saved his life. The alleged drunk driver has suffered minor injuries in the incident and was rushed to the Safdarjung Hospital in a police vehicle. Later, the cops took to the police station after treatment at the hospital. Meanwhile, the fire brigade arrived at the spot to douse off the flames. The incident took place within the limits of the Mehrauli Police Station. Subsequently, a complaint was lodged by the ASI against Chauhan for damaging the monument’s perimeter wall. ASI has called for strict action against him and demanded that he must be made to, “pay a penalty equal to the cost of damages to the heritage site”, according to a report of the Times of India. After the incident, an ASI team was deployed to analyse the damage to the perimeter wall of the heritage site and requested the police to clear off the wreckage from outside the monument. The errant driver has been booked under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code