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SIT takes up probe into hotel manager’s killing in Dalhousie
The SIT, led by Dalhousie deputy superintendent of police (deputy SP) Hemant Kumar Thakur has initiated the investigation
A special investigation team (SIT) has been constituted to investigate the killing of a hotel’s general manager during a brawl involving two police personnel at Banikhet near Dalhousie in Himachal’s Chamba district, officials aware of the developments said.
The SIT, led by Dalhousie deputy superintendent of police (deputy SP) Hemant Kumar Thakur has initiated the investigation. One of the accused constables, identified as Amit Kumar, has been arrested on murder charges while another cop, Anoop Kumar, is undergoing treatment at a hospital.
Amit Kumar will be produced in a court on Friday.
A hotel’s general manager was killed on and another staffer was grievously injured on Wednesday during a brawl involving two policemen.
The incident took place at Hotel Nature Valley around 1.30 am. The deceased has was identified Rajendra Malhotra, a resident of Dalhousie Cantonment.
Dalhousie deputy SP Thakur said, “The formal arrest was made today (Thursday) and we are questioning both constables. One is in custody and the other is in the hospital. We are cross-verifying the sequence of events they have described with the footage from closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras.
“We are compiling a list of individuals who were present at the scene at the time of the incident. Based on this, we will determine who else needs to be interrogated. We are investigating each and every aspect of the case,” he added.
Police said on Wednesday that after the two police constables arrived at the hotel late in the night, they got into an argument with hotel’s front office employee Sachin Kumar. The matter escalated into a full-blown brawl and the general manager intervened, the officials added. During the clash, the general manager, a hotel staffer and one of the constables fell from a height into the parking area, resulting in severe injuries to the former two.
They were rushed to a private hospital in Banikhet, where Malhotra succumbed to his injuries, police added.
Sachin Kumar, a resident of Bagdhar village, was referred to a hospital in Pathankot and is not in a condition to record a statement, police added.
Kin seek CBI probe
The deceased’s relatives on Thursday raised questions on the police investigation in the case and sought a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry into the matter.
