In a scene straight out a Bollywood film, a police inspector fired two shots at a Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) that ultimately managed to flee from a police checkpoint (naka) on the dividing road of Sectors 45/46 in the wee hours of Sunday.
Police said that the three occupants of the vehicle, a white Toyota Fortuner, were approaching the naka at high-speed, but switched off the lights and tried to reverse and escape when they saw their personnel.
In their bid to escape, they hit a Honda City car driven by a Ludhiana resident, Mayank Sood.
The cops placed a barricade in the middle of the road to prevent the vehicle from fleeing, but the driver then tried to hit the inspector, Amanjot Singh, who fired the shots at the SUV and managed to burst the left rear tyre. However, the driver of the vehicle still managed to cross the road divider and escaped.
What makes the case even more intriguing is that the inspector Amanjot Singh, who fired the shots, has had a chequered past. He was reinstated in the department in February this year after having faced suspension on the charges of insubordination. He is now deployed with the Indian Reserve Battalion (IRB) unit.
UT SSP Sukhchain Singh Gill said that a case had been registered at the Sector-34 police station against unknown people on the statement of Amanjot Singh under Sections 279 (rash driving), 337 (causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) and 186 (obstructing a public servant in discharge of public functions) of the Indian Penal Code.
{{/usCountry}}UT SSP Sukhchain Singh Gill said that a case had been registered at the Sector-34 police station against unknown people on the statement of Amanjot Singh under Sections 279 (rash driving), 337 (causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) and 186 (obstructing a public servant in discharge of public functions) of the Indian Penal Code.
{{/usCountry}}An act of self defence
The SSP said that the inspector acted in self-defence. However, A special investigation team (SIT) has been under ASP City to probe the matter and track the accused
"It is evident that the accused were carrying something illegal," the SSP said.
City sealed, yet no clue
The inefficiency of the Chandigarh police came to fore as it failed to arrest the accused, even as the city was sealed from midnight to 3 am on Sunday with over 100 nakas.
"The naka where the incident happened was the last in the city. The accused managed to escape towards SAS Nagar," the SSP said.
Inspector has controversial past
Inspector Amanjot Singh was reinstated, along with another, inspector in February this year after 15 months of suspension for alleged insubordination during the visit of vice-president, Hamid Ansari to the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) in May 2012. On May 23, 2012, he had even resigned, alleging that he was being targeted by senior officials. The resignation was later withdrawn.
In April 2013, the police had registered a case of extortion, theft and criminal intimidation against Singh after a city-based property dealer complained against him.