New Delhi, March 13
A joyride became a nightmare for five friends, when the speeding Mitsubishi Lancer car they were travelling in rammed into the rear of a stationary bus near the Malviya Nagar Metro station early this morning.

The accident claimed the lives of three youths and left the other two severely injured.

The deceased are identified as Mayank Chauhan and Vikas Sharma and Aakash Sharma, both were cousins. The injured were Vikas Bherua and Vipul Garg. They were coming from Aurobindo Marg and heading towards the BRT corridor.

"The car was being driven at a very high speed and they were trying to overtake a Xylo car from the wrong side. The Lancer rammed into a stationary bus that was parked on the left side of the road. The car was crushed after it was driven completely under the bus," added the official.

All the occupants of the car were bleeding profusely. The driver of the Xylo car, Mohammed Salim, halted his vehicle near the Lancer and informed the police around 3.30 am.

Salim took Vikas Bherua and Vipul to the Max Hospital in Saket. Meanwhile, the police reached the site of the accident and found the other three youths lying in a pool of blood. Two of them had died at the site and the third youth succumbed to his injuries at the AIIMS Trauma Centre.

The post-mortem of the bodies have been conducted. The official said that the medical examination report of one of the youths confirmed that he had consumed alcohol. The police is trying to ascertain who was driving the Lancer car.

A case has been registered against the owner of the parked travel agency bus, Naseer Ahmad, at the Saket police station. He is booked under Sections 336 and 283, IPC. According to the police, no action will be taken against the driver of the bus, because he may have parked the vehicle following the direction of the owner.

Friends of the youths said that the five of them belonged to Chhattisgarh and were studying at Delhi University, except one of them. The youths are in the age bracket of 19-21 years.

Aakash is a final year CA student of School of Open Learning. Vikas was a III year student of BCom at the Delhi College of Arts and Commerce. Mayank was a I year BA student of the PGDAV College. Vikas Bherua is a I year student of BCom of PGDAV College, while Vipul has been taking coaching classes for chartered accountancy.

Mayank's roommate Parag Rathi said, "All of us had gone to a birthday party at Sainik Farms. Aakash, Mayank, Vikas Sharma and I came back to my room at Laxmi Nagar at 11.30 pm yesterday. I fell asleep before they went somewhere to eat."

Aakash's father Manoj, who was reportedly on a business trip at the national capital, did not comment on the accident. A relative of Aakash said, "It is not possible that he could have drunk alcohol. He never tried it before."

New Delhi, March 13
The shabby security arrangements for women staffers working shifts at Delhi and NCR clubs and pubs stand exposed after a gangrape case of a 23-year-old woman working at a pub in a Gurgaon mall came to light yesterday.

Six men picked her up just as she was about to board a radio taxi back home around 2 am.

As per the law, any company needs to arrange conveyance for its women employees after 10 pm and also have a security guard to accompany her. Barring the five-star hotels, most independent clubs in Delhi and NCR do not arrange for a late-night drop of its women staffers who often face teasing and lecherous comments on barren roads.While some clubs just add travel allowances to the basic salary, others arrange for a radio taxi at times.

"Even receptionists and women bartenders arrange for their own transport most of the times. The new clubs simply do not have enough manpower, money and infrastructure," said a club manager at Sahara Mall, requesting anonymity.

Rohit Tomar, club manager, Jynxxx, Intercontinental Hotel, said, "Independent clubs in Guragon and Noida function very differently from the five-star clubs. Here, we make sure that the drivers dropping women in the graveyard shifts are on the company payroll."

"I usually get off at 2 am, but shifts get extended till 4 am on weekends. There is a constant fear. Rowdy drunk men on roads are a regular sight," said Tahira Bano (name changed), a washroom attendant at 'Shroom,' a club at Cresent Hotel, South Delhi.

Added Meena Rani, who works at a leading pub at Centre Stage Mall, Noida, "We try to leave in a group for our safety. There are instances of bikes slowing down near our autos. Men whistle, call names and at times even try to block the way."

New Delhi, March 13
The Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) that has alliance with the BJP in Delhi as well as Punjab has asked the saffron party for 16 seats out of 272 for contesting the Municipal Corporation of Delhi election to be held on April 15.

Delhi unit chief of the SAD Badal, Manjit Singh (GK) said, "We are demanding 15-16 seats, but nothing has been finalized so far. Last year, the SAD had contested municipal election from 13 wards - Nangal Rai, East of Kailash, GTB Nagar, Vivek Vihar, Karol Bagh, Punjabi Bagh, Jaitpur, Nilothi, Mangolpuri, Taigore Garden, Tilak Nagar and two seats in the Trans-Yamuna area. Of them, we had won six seats - Nangal Rai, East of Kailash, GTB Nagar, Vivek Vihar, Karol Bagh and Punjabi Bagh."

Manjit said, "In this election, we want some change as some of the Akali seats have been reserved for women. As we do not have women candidates, these seats will be useless for us."

Sources said that Lajpat Nagar and Greater Kailash wards had been confirmed for the BJP and the discussion was going on for the remaining seats.

However, the leader of the opposition in Delhi Assembly Vijay Kumar Malhotra said that no decision has taken place so far. The issue is still being discussed.

Meanwhile, Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Committee general secretary Harmeet Singh has joined the BJP. When asked the reason for joining the BJP, he said that gurdwara committee is a religious body while the BJP is a political body. Anybody can join a political party while working with the gurdwara committee.

DSGMC president Paramjit Sarna also said that while working with the religious body, one can join politics.