Achi news desk-
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman who were killed in a wrong-way accident on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consul General of India in Toronto.
“Heartfelt condolences on the tragic loss of Indian nationals Mr. Manivannan, Mrs. Mahalakshmi and their granddaughter in the Highway 401 collision,” the consulate wrote in a post on social media Friday afternoon.
According to the post, the consul general had met the family at the hospital and had “secured all possible assistance.”
“We are in contact with the Canadian authorities,” the consul said.
The three-month-old boy and his grandparents were traveling in a Nissan Sentra on the eastbound lanes of the highway in Whitby on Monday when the collision occurred. Prior to the crash, Durham Regional Police officers were in high-speed pursuit of a suspect cargo van traveling westbound in the eastbound lanes.
The Special Investigations Unit (SIU), which is investigating the actions of the police in the incident on April 29, said the parents of the baby were also in the Sentra with them at the time. They were taken to hospital for treatment.
Meanwhile, it was announced that the driver of the cargo van, aged 21, died at the scene, while a 38-year-old male passenger was taken to hospital with serious injuries.
According to the SIU, the incident began at an LCBO store in Bowmanville, where Durham police were called for a robbery. The suspect fled the scene, but officers followed him through several streets and onto Highway 401.
The conduct of the police has come under scrutiny following the fatal collision, with many questioning why officers continued to chase the suspect vehicle as it was going the wrong way on the highway.
“We understand there are many questions, but there is a legislative process around investigations conducted by the SIU that our service must adhere to,” Durham police said in a statement on April 30, adding that they cooperate fully with the investigation.
The SIU has appointed two subject officers and four witness officers. Seven investigators, a forensic investigator and a collision reconstructionist have been assigned to the case.
With files from CP24’s Joshua Freeman and Joanna Lavoie
