‘Drunk’ cop booked as man dies in hit-and-run

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, November 13

Head Constable Amit Kumar was booked in a hit-and-run case, hours after he had received a commendation certificate from the Police Commissioner on Monday.

Amit was reportedly driving in an inebriated condition when his SUV hit a rickshaw from the rear near the Ladowali Road railway crossing around 10:30 pm. The rickshaw-puller and the rider were injured, even as Amit and his friend fled after leaving the vehicle.

The rider, Joginder Thakur (55), a migrant from Bihar who was staying here at Bashirpura, succumbed to injuries two hours later at a private hospital.

Thakur, the sole breadwinner of his family, is survived by wife, three daughters and a son. He was living here for the past 35 years and running a kiosk of tobacco products. Mithlesh Kumar, his nephew said, “We are being offered money to strike a compromise. But we want the accused behind bars.”

Amit had been felicitated along with a team of the ADCP-2 after they had arrested the accused in the recent firing case at Rainak Bazaar.

Investigation officer ASI Manohar Lal said, “The accused was reportedly driving the car and his civilian friend was sitting beside him. Both ran away after the accident. A PCR team took the injured to the Civil Hospital, from where Thakur was referred to a private hospital.”

An FIR has been registered against Amit under Sections 304-A, 427 and 279 of the IPC, said SHO, New Baradari, Balbir Singh.