Though even Dharmender is 17 years old and underage to possess a driving license, he says he had taken the vehicle for a test-run last evening. On the way, he picked up Deepesh, who reportedly studies in class XI. ``After some time Deepesh said he wanted to drive the vehicle. And when we were in the colony he was in the driver's seat,'' Dharmender told the police.

Says DCP (east) Balaji Srivastava: ``Dharmender could be saying this to save his skin. He could also be speaking the truth. We will know the real story only when we arrest Deepesh.''

Residents of Kanti Nagar, who overpowered Dharmender after the incident, also do not recall whether Dharmender was behind the wheel. Investigations have revealed that the white Maruti car which mowed down the children is owned by an east Delhi property dealer, Vikas Sharma. Sharma had given the vehicle for repairs to Gautam workshop in Vivek Vihar, where Dharmender is employed.

An sobbing Rajesh Gautam, Swati's father and an MTNL employee, says: ``The garage owner is at fault for allowing underage mechanics to work in his place and drive cars. My daughter would not have died this way.''

Swati -- a student of S.M. Public School in Krishnanagar -- and her brother Lavnish, 10, were playing with their friends near their house yesterday. Around 8 p.m., the white Maruti car came speeding down the road after turning in from a adjoining lane and hit the group of children.

While the other children were flung across the road, Swati was dragged for more than 100 metres. The car came to a stop only after crashing into one of the buildings.

Swati's body had to pulled out from under the chassis. Her brother Lavnish, 10, is recuperating at Guru Tegh Bahadur Hospital. Two more children -- Binny, 13, and Narender, 15 -- who sustained injuries, were discharged from the hospital today.

Though the residents managed to overpower Dharmender and hand him over to the police, the nature of the incident has left them shocked and angry. ``The situation in Delhi is so bad that even when our children are playing outside our homes, they are not safe. Driving a car is not a joke,'' says A.K. Gupta, a neighbour of Rajesh Gautam.