An Indian-origin man has admitted to the manslaughter of a couple in their 60s who died following a road crash in west London, according to news agency PTI.
Maninder Singh Brar, 28, pleaded guilty to two counts of manslaughter at Isleworth Crown Court on Wednesday. He also admitted two counts of causing death while uninsured, causing serious injury by dangerous driving, handling stolen goods, and failing to stop after a road traffic collision.
The case relates to a crash on the M4 in Hillingdon on the night of June 1. The Metropolitan Police said Brar was driving a black BMW when it collided with a white Volkswagen Golf before he left the scene.
The occupants of the Golf suffered serious injuries in the collision. Mohammad Hagila, 63, died at the scene despite efforts by paramedics, while his wife, 62-year-old Dil Jan Hagila, was taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries and died a few days later.
Police describe case as ‘truly tragic’
Acting Detective Inspector Fiaz Janjua, who is leading the investigation, described the incident as “truly tragic”.
“Two innocent members of the public have lost their lives,” he said. “Brar’s guilty plea to two counts of manslaughter reflects the seriousness of his actions and the devastating consequences they had for those involved.”
Janjua also expressed sympathy for the victims’ family, saying: “Our deepest sympathies remain with the family of Mohammed and Dil Jan, who have suffered an unimaginable loss. Our thoughts are with them as they face this incredibly painful time.”
He added that the case serves as a reminder of the devastating consequences dangerous driving can have on victims, their families and the wider community.
A third person, a 29-year-old man, was also taken to hospital. His injuries were not considered life-threatening or life-changing.
Brar was arrested on June 6 and is due to be sentenced at Isleworth Crown Court on August 23.
Indian-origin truck driver jailed for eight-vehicle crash in US
Meanwhile, a 22-year-old Indian-origin living illegally in the US was sentenced to four years and eight months in a California state prison after causing an eight-vehicle crash on a San Bernardino County freeway last year.
Jashanpreet Singh pleaded guilty in June to three counts of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence. The crash, which took place in October 2025, killed three people and injured four others.
According to the California Highway Patrol, traffic had slowed on the freeway, but Singh failed to brake and ploughed into several vehicles, triggering a chain-reaction collision.
Dashcam footage from Singh’s Freightliner truck showed it travelling at high speed before crashing into multiple vehicles, including another lorry, and eventually hitting a disabled truck on the hard shoulder after crossing two lanes.
An eyewitness said the crash sounded like a “big explosion” and described seeing the truck speeding down the freeway moments before the collision.
