Special police officer bludgeoned to death following argument in Faridabad

A 42-year-old special police officer was bludgeoned to death with a stone after a heated argument in Faridabad, India. The suspect has been arrested.

A 42-year-old special police officer (SPO) of Faridabad police was bludgeoned to death with a stone allegedly by an unidentified man with whom he had a heated argument on Tuesday night in Faridabad’s Surajkund area, police said.

Police said during investigation it was found that a man was roaming around the area with a flat stone in his hand and they suspect that it was he killed the officer. (Representational Image)

The body of the SPO was found lying in a pool of blood near the police post and a case was registered at Surajkund police station.The suspect was arrested within hours, said police.

Police identified the SPO as Mohan Lal and said he was posted with the motorbike patrol team. He was on the night shift when the incident took place, said police. SPOs are contractual employees in the police department who are appointed for a year and their tenure can be extended later.

Suresh Kuma, constable deployed at Surajkund police station, said he was deployed with Lal on Tuesday night. “Around 8.15pm, Lal went to the police post after asking me to bring his mobile charger. An hour later, a tea seller came to me and said Lal was lying in a pool of blood near the check-post. I went to the spot and found him lying motionless with his head injured. I informed my seniors and took him to a nearby hospital where doctors declared him dead on arrival,” he said.

Police said during investigation it was found that a man was roaming around the area with a flat stone in his hand and they suspect that it was he killed Lal, said police.

A case was registered against the unidentified suspect under Section (302) of the Indian Penal Code at the Surajkund police station on Wednesday.

Sube Singh, Faridabad police spokesperson, said after scanning CCTV footage and based on technical surveillance, they arrested the suspect, identified as Santosh Kumar of Mitrol village of Palwal.

“The suspect is currently living in Prahladpur in Delhi. The father of the suspect works as a tailor and he used to visit Faridabad. When the SPO stopped him he got furious and started abusing him and hit him in the head with the flat stone,” he said.

Vikas Arora, police commissioner, Faridabad, offered his condolences to the family of the deceased policeman and said Lal lost his life in the line of duty.

Lal is survived by his wife and two children -- a son and a daughter. He was recruited in Haryana State Industrial Security Force (HSISF) and later recruited as SPO with the Faridabad police in 2017.