Drunk Chinese nationals arrested in hit-and-run case, granted bail

Two Chinese nationals, drunk and shirtless, were arrested here after their SUV hit several vehicles and injured eight people, police said.

The two were granted bail on Monday by a magistrate who ordered police to seize their passports.

Officials said the Chinese Embassy has been informed about the Sunday night incident involving Guoqing Xia and Wenxin Zu.

They work for a Chinese firm that deals in furniture and meat. They have been visiting India for the past 15 years on business visa, staying two or three months each time, police said Tuesday.

Their current visas will expire on September 26, officials added.

The two men have rented flats in Mangal Pandey Nagar and Shastri Nagar in Meerut, and the house owners have been sent notices as well, they said.

Superintendent of Police Ranvijay Singh said the two Chinese nationals were in the city to inspect a meat plant.

Eight people, including businessman Rajib Aggarwal, his wife and daughter, were injured as the car hit about six vehicles around 9 pm on Sunday.

Police chased down the SUV near Rangoli Mandap. Both men were drunk and bare-chested, police said.

Xia was driving, they said.

They were accompanied by their guide, Ashish, a resident of the Mangal Pandey Nagar area, police said.