'Criminals roaming around...': Cong on the attack after Haryana cop mowed down

Haryana cop run over by mafia: Surender Singh, the police officer who was run down, died on the spot. He was due to retire in four months.

The Congress ripped into the Haryana government Tuesday after news that a deputy superintendent of police (DSP) was mowed down by a dump truck that he tried to stop on suspicion it was linked to illegal mining. This took place in Nuh district's Pachgaon area.

The incident took place late Monday night in the Pachgaon area of Haryana's Nuh district (Screengrab) 

Haryana Congress MP Deepender Hooda said the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government in the state had 'completely failed'. "Criminals are roaming around... both mining mafia and organised gangsters... organised crime has entered Haryana," Hooda was quoted by news agency ANI, after the conclusion of the slain cop's funeral procession.

Hooda also slammed chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar's government for having failed to provide a safe environment for lawmakers. "Unfortunate that 5 Haryana MLAs received life threats in past 10 days... (state) government neither able to find culprits nor provide a safe environment for MLAs. Mining mafia is showing its ugly face. CM should take responsibility."

Surender Singh, the police officer who was run down, died on the spot.

He was due to retire in four months.

According to the police, Singh went to the Pachgaon area on after getting a top. He got out of his vehicle when he saw a speeding truck from the Aravalli side.

READ | Haryana DSP goes out to stop illegal mining, run over by truck he tried to stop

"He signalled the driver to stop but the truck ran over the officer," Shamsher Singh, DSP (Punhana) said. The driver of the truck fled within minutes.

Shamsher Singh said the officer who was killed was accompanied by his driver and a gunman, and would regularly patrol the area. "He had earlier impounded several dumpers who were carrying illegal mining sand, dust and stone and a crackdown was on," he said.

Police teams have been formed and raids are being conducted to identify the driver. In a tweet, the Haryana Police pledged to bring the guilty to justice.

“DSP Taoru shri Surender Singh laid down his life today in the course of duty. #HaryanaPolice extends its deepest condolences to the bereaved family of the brave officer. No effort shall be spared in bringing the offenders to face justice,” the state police said in a post on Twitter.