Two persons were mowed down by an SUV taxi driver allegedly in rage following a spat between two groups at MG Marg in Gangtok in the small hours of Thursday.

Two persons were injured also.

The deceased were Chopel Bhutia and Dhan Kumar Chettri, both from Sikkim. The injured duo are being treated at STNM Hospital in Gangtok.

Police arrested three persons in connection with the incident, including Pawan Subba, the main accused and a driver by profession who hails from Bijanbari in Darjeeling. They have also impounded the vehicle.

According to police, the incident happened between 12:30am and 1am on Thursday. A group of six hotel workers on their way home were taking pictures in front of a statue of a panda at MG Marg, the Gangtok’s main promenade, when they got into an altercation with a group of four drivers.

Two from the drivers’ group went up to Children’s Park , a stone’s throw from MG Marg, where their car was parked and drove the SUV down Tibet Road and entered MG Marg, strictly a no-vehicle zone, and ran over the group engaged in the spat.

Chettri, one of the deceased, was a part of the drivers’ group.

Asked if the accused were drunk, additional superintendent of police, East Sikkim, Sonam Dechu, said the matter was under investigation.

“We have registered a case under Sections 302 and 34 of the IPC against the accused,” said Siva Prasad Yellasari, East Sikkim SP.