ACP’s son, 3 others held for running over man in road rage case: Police
Police said the four men were being questioned to ascertain what unfolded and who was behind the wheel of the Thar vehicle when Manoj Kumar was run over
Three men, including the son of an assistant commissioner of police (ACP), were arrested in Faridabad on Tuesday for allegedly running over a 42-year-old property dealer in their SUV following a road rage altercation, police said. Investigators are interrogating the accused to establish who was at the wheel of the Mahindra Thar when it struck the victim.
The deceased, Manoj Kumar, a resident of Nangla Enclave in Faridabad, succumbed to injuries at a private hospital in Sector 16 after the incident, which took place between 1am and 1.30am on Monday near a convention hall in Sector 12, police said.
The Thar is registered in the name of ACP (Sarai) Rajesh Kumar Lohan, officers added.
The officer admitted ownership of the vehicle but said his driver had taken it out that night. “I am fully cooperating with the investigation,” he maintained.
Among those arrested, police said, was the son of the ACP who owns the SUV.
Yashpal Yadav, public relations officer of Faridabad police, said that the three arrested suspects were identified as the ACP’s son, Himanshu Kumar, 26; Nishant Sehrawat, 27; and Keshav Chaudhary, 30 were arrested on murder charges.
“The fourth suspect is still being held in detention and we have not formally arrested him yet. The trio were arrested on the basis of the statements given by the friends of the deceased to police who were eyewitnesses of the incident,” Yadav said.
{{/usCountry}}“The fourth suspect is still being held in detention and we have not formally arrested him yet. The trio were arrested on the basis of the statements given by the friends of the deceased to police who were eyewitnesses of the incident,” Yadav said.
{{/usCountry}}Deputy commissioner of police (central) Usha Devi said that the four are being questioned to determine the driver’s identity. “Once clear, we will produce them before court on Wednesday,” she said.
{{/usCountry}}Deputy commissioner of police (central) Usha Devi said that the four are being questioned to determine the driver’s identity. “Once clear, we will produce them before court on Wednesday,” she said.
{{/usCountry}}Initially, police lodged a case under Section 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita at Faridabad Central police station. But after protests from Manoj’s family, who accused police of shielding the ACP’s son, the charge was amended to Section 103(1) (murder).
{{/usCountry}}Initially, police lodged a case under Section 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita at Faridabad Central police station. But after protests from Manoj’s family, who accused police of shielding the ACP’s son, the charge was amended to Section 103(1) (murder).
{{/usCountry}}DCP Devi, however, rejected claims the victim’s family’s allegations of bias and said a special investigation team led by ACP (Central) Rajiv Kumar was probing the case.
The altercation
According to the complaint filed in the case by the victim’s family, Manoj and five friends were waiting in a Scorpio in Sector 9 late Sunday night, while two other friends, Navdeep Singh (40) and Aman Kumar (39), rode a motorcycle to fetch food from Sector 12.
On the way, they clashed with the Thar occupants, who they alleged were driving rashly and performing stunts.
Manoj’s younger brother, Vicky Kumar, said in his complaint to the police, that the SUV nearly brushed the motorcycle near Sector 13. “The duo scolded the Thar occupants, following which a heated altercation broke out. The Thar driver repeatedly drove towards the motorcycle to unbalance them and later fled towards Sector 12,” he alleged in his complaint. Vicky, however, was not present at the scene.
Navdeep and Aman then alerted their friends, including Manoj, who managed to trace the Thar in Sector 12. “My brother and his friends got out from their car after spotting the SUV performing stunts. But as soon as Navdeep and Aman reached there, the occupants panicked and fled after hitting my brother with their car,” Vicky alleged.
Manoj was rushed to a hospital by his friends but died during treatment. The victim’s family later refused to accept his body, accusing police of protecting the accused because of the ACP’s link to the vehicle.
Police said the autopsy report will only be available in a day or two, after which the exact nature of Manoj’s injuries will be known. DCP Devi said the person found to have been driving would undergo a medical examination after arrest.
“Blood samples will also be collected for forensic analysis to ascertain if he was drunk at the time of the incident,” she added.
