An 18-year-old Indian student has been released on bail by an Australian court following an incident in which he allegedly hit three schoolboys at a crossing in Sydney and fled the scene, according to a report by The Sydney Morning Herald.
The student, identified as Vansh Khanna, arrived in Sydney earlier this year and was arrested on Fox Street in Lane Cove. He was subsequently taken to Chatswood police station. On Friday, he was granted bail at Manly Local Court with certain conditions, including reporting to the police, refraining from driving a car and surrendering his passport.
Emergency services were called to the scene on Thursday after receiving reports that three boys, aged 12 and 13, had been struck by a car while crossing the road, reportedly following a green pedestrian signal.
Following the incident, the injured children received medical attention from New South Wales (NSW) paramedics and were later transported to the hospital for treatment. Although they sustained severe injuries to their leg and head, their conditions were reported as non-life-threatening.
Emotions ran high in the courtroom as an 18-year-old university student, accused of fleeing the scene after striking three schoolchildren, was granted bail.
Vansh Khanna, an Indian foreign national, appeared at Manly Local Court on Friday in the presence of his aunt and sister. His sister, visibly distressed, sought solace by burying her face in her arms following Magistrate Robyn Denes’ ruling.
According to police, Khanna drove his car through a red light in Crows Nest, located on Sydney’s north shore, resulting in the collision with the three schoolchildren. Allegedly leaving the scene, he was apprehended around 30 minutes later in the nearby suburb of Lane Cove at approximately 4 pm.
Emergency services swiftly responded to the incident that took place near Falcon Street on the Pacific Highway in Crows Nest around 3:30 pm on Thursday.
According to reports, three boys, aged 12 and 13, were crossing the road toward a green pedestrian signal when they were struck by a car, causing them to fall to the ground. The collision resulted in leg and head injuries for all three boys.
During the court proceedings, it was revealed that the accused, Mr. Khanna, was driving his sister’s Honda Accord at the time of the alleged collision. He had recently moved to Sydney and had been residing there for only three months. Mr. Khanna is currently pursuing a Bachelor of IT degree at Macquarie University.
Magistrate Robyn Denes acknowledged the serious allegations against Mr. Khanna but concluded that he did not pose a significant risk to the public. Taking into consideration his age and clean criminal record, she granted him bail.
As per the bail conditions set by the court, Mr. Khanna is required to surrender his passport and driver’s license. He will be confined to his residence in Lane Cove, where he resides with his sister. Additionally, he must report to Chatswood Police Station on a daily basis. To secure his release on bail, Mr. Khanna’s aunt provided a $10,000 cash surety.
According to a statement from the NSW Police, it was reported that the vehicle involved in the crash left the scene without stopping or providing assistance to the injured boys.
A witness who spoke to 2GB radio mentioned that she observed the incident and noted that the driver, Khanna, did not stop after hitting the boys. The witness further stated that several people managed to record the vehicle’s registration number.
Khanna now faces seven charges, including dangerous driving causing grievous bodily harm, negligent driving causing grievous bodily harm, and two counts of causing bodily harm through misconduct while in control of a motor vehicle.
In addition to the previously mentioned charges, Vansh Khanna has also been charged with failing to stop and assist after the vehicle impact, which caused grievous bodily harm, as well as failing to stop and help after the impact resulting in injury. Furthermore, he is facing charges of proceeding through a red traffic light.
Khanna’s Honda Accord has been confiscated for mechanical and forensic analysis as part of the investigation. The police have also issued him a notice of license suspension. Khanna is scheduled to appear in court for a mention on June 8.
