Hyderabad: A man and his wife sustained serious injuries in Hyderabad on Sunday in a road accident involving an SUV which was allegedly being driven by a minor, police said.

The incident occurred around 3.30 pm at Pragati Nagar locality and the couple has been admitted to a hospital, they said. The woman’s condition is stated to be serious, police said.

Nagendra Kumar (36), a software  engineer, and his wife Devi (32) were proceeding towards Kukatpally from Bachupally when their scooter was hit by the speeding car being driven by the minor. Kumar and Devi flung into the air under the impact of the collision while their scooter got crushed under the front wheels of the car. Locals and passers-by immediately rushed the couple to a nearby hospital, while their efforts to catch the car driver failed.

Bachupally police inspector Balakrishna said: “Kumar suffered multiple fractures and his wife sustained a severe head injury. The duo’s health condition is stated to be critical.” The inspector said the car was being driven by a school student who is now absconding. There were five other students in the car at the time of the incident but they escaped unhurt.

“The driver of the car is suspected to be aged about 15 years. Eyewitnesses claimed that they identified the students as the school is located nearby,”  the inspector said, adding that the car owner would also be booked for allowing a minor to drive it. A case was registered under Section 338 of IPC and efforts are on to trace the absconding driver.

“Eyewitnesses said that overspeeding of the car resulted in the accident. They further said the car was being driven by a minor. As per the information provided by the passersby, we don’t think that the driver was in a drunken state.

However, once the driver is caught, breath analyzer test will be conducted,” the inspector said.