Death of man in canal car mishap near Doraha: Kin allege murder, meet SSP, seek thorough investigation

Tribune News Service

Nikhil Bhardwaj

Ludhiana, April 23

After the mysterious death of a wealth management company owner, Namit Sharma, a resident of D-Block Model Town, here, whose car fell into a canal near Doraha on April 5, deceased’s brother Sumit Sharma while questioning the initial police investigation and alleging a murder conspiracy demanded registration of a murder case against unidentified person(s). Since the police had initiated inquest proceedings under Section 174 of the CrPC in the incident suspecting it to be a case of suicide or an accident, the victim’s brother recently met Khanna SSP Amneet Kondal and demanded a thorough probe into the mystery behind Namit’s death.

SSP Kondal assures action

SSP Amneet Kondal had assured deceased’s kin that the police will explore every angle in the case to answer all points or queries raised by the family and whatever comes out in probe, action will be taken as per law.

The SSP had assured the deceased’s kin that the police would explore every angle in the case to answer all points or queries raised by the family and whatever comes out in probe, action will be taken as per law.

Sumit said on April 5, his brother left the house for his company’s office dealing in wealth management in his Honda City car (bearing registration no PB10GJ6577). After attending last call of his client at 1.39 pm, his phone was switched off.

“Around 5.36 pm, an eyewitness, Jagroop Singh, called on my number and said Namit’s car was lying in a canal at Rampur village, near the Katana Sahib gurdwara. Namit was drowning in water and crying for help. He, along with others, managed to take him out but he succumbed. Afterwards, we rushed to the place,” he said.

Sumit said they had urged the Doraha police then to register a case of murder against unidentified person(s) but the police termed it a suicide case and initiated inquest proceedings accordingly.

The deceased’s brother while categorically denying the suicide angle behind the victim’s death said when the car was taken out from the canal, its handbrake was on and it’s gear was also in a neutral position. How a persons committing suicide would keep the car’s gear in a neutral position and would also apply handbrakes and the same logic goes even if it’s an accident, he said.

Even rear windshield of the car was also broken and if his brother had smashed the glass to save himself from drowning, his hands might had some injuries but there wasn’t any. Namit’s forehead had injury marks and foam oozed out from his nose and these facts need thorough investigation, he asserted.

“I think my brother was kidnapped and then he was killed. Even in the CCTV footage we collected at our level shows that some unidentified person wearing full sleeves was driving the car while my brother was wearing half sleeves on the unfortunate day. Other facts which raise suspicion of kidnapping and murder are that my brother and the vehicle got drowned at an isolated place in the canal which was rarely visited by anybody. I urge the police to find the truth behind his death,” he said.

Meanwhile, Payal DSP Nikhil Garg told The Tribune here on Tuesday that though inquest proceedings under Section 174 of the CrPc were initiated, investigation in the case was not closed. Rather, various angles were being explored so that the mystery behind the death can be known.

“Now, we have taken the call dump to identify the suspects, if any. Call details are being checked. So far, the probe doesn’t hint at murder, however, investigation is on in the case,” the DSP added.

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