Gurgaon: Family members, friends and nearly 200 residents on Saturday evening took out a candlelight march in memory of Sarthak Mattoo — the 33-year-old event manager who died in a hit-and-run on the Rajokri flyover nine days ago — demanding speedy justice in the case and stricter laws against reckless driving.Led by Sarthak’s parents, the march began at Ridgewood Estate and ended at Galleria Market, where candles flickered and placards calling for accountability were held aloft. Many who joined said the march was not only for Sarthak, but also for countless road crash victims whose families continue to seek justice.Sarthak was just two days away from turning 34 when he was hit by a Thar while riding to work in Noida around 6.30am on June 25. The SUV ran over him and its occupants fled, leaving him critically injured on the roadside. He died before he could be taken to hospital.Addressing the gathering, his father, Surender Mattoo, said the family’s fight would not stop. “You only understand this pain when it happens to your own family. Otherwise, we just watch news and move on. I will fight till my last breath — for my son and for every family broken like ours,” he said.He said the purpose of the march was to “wake up the system” and press for stronger punishment in fatal road crashes. “Police are doing their job and I trust them, but the process must move faster. Driving at 170kmph cannot go unpunished,” he said, adding that Sarthak’s school friends and neighbours had turned up in large numbers to support the family’s demand for justice.Sarthak’s mother said the law remains too weak for such offences. “People should not walk out within hours or get easy bail. One reckless act destroys an entire family,” she said, adding the family was still waiting for the alcohol test report.Residents who joined the march echoed the family’s demands. “We will not stay silent till justice is done,” said Mishi, a Ridgewood resident. Another resident, Naveen, questioned the pace of the police action, saying delays in tracing the accused could weaken crucial evidence.Police said the Thar belonged to a Bengaluru-based private company and had been leased to Sagar Saha (29). Police later arrested Apurv Singh, identified as the driver at the time of the crash. He was granted bail.
