UP: Cop killed, suspect injured after car falls into canal during police chase
Two constables jumped into the canal to save the miscreants after their car plunged into it during a police chase
Meerut: A high-speed police chase turned tragic in Bijnor late Friday night when a car carrying suspected criminals crashed into a canal, leading to the death of a police constable and injuries to another officer and one of the suspects.
The incident happened at Chakkar Chauraha in the Kotwali city area.
According to police, the suspects, travelling in a Swift car, had allegedly assaulted a truck driver and opened fire. Upon receiving the alert, a Dial 112 police response team reached the scene, prompting the accused to flee towards Nagina Road.
The chase intensified as the miscreants diverted their vehicle toward Ganj Rajwaha. During the pursuit, the speeding car lost control and rammed into an electric pole near Salmabad, before plunging into a nearby canal. The collision caused high-tension electric wires to snap and fall into the canal, electrifying the water.
In a brave rescue attempt, Dial 112 constables Manoj Kumar and Gangaram jumped into the canal to save the miscreants. However, the live current in the water caused severe injuries to both policemen as well as the trapped suspect.
Senior officers, including superintendent of police (city) Sanjeev Bajpai, circle officer (city) Rakesh Vashishtha, and the Kotwali police team, rushed to the scene. The injured were pulled out of the water and rushed to the hospital. However, constable Manoj Kumar succumbed to his injuries during treatment. Gangaram remains in critical condition and continues to receive medical care, along with the arrested suspect.
Police revealed that there were four suspects in the car. When they realised they were being chased from both sides — by the PRV unit and a Cobra police team — they accelerated in an attempt to escape. The vehicle veered out of control and struck the high-voltage pole, leading to the fatal crash.
Three suspects managed to escape, while one — identified as Neeraj, a resident of Jhal village under the jurisdiction of Himapur Deepa Police Station — was trapped inside the car. It was during efforts to save him that the fatal electric shock occurred.
Constable Manoj Kumar, a 2016 batch recruit, hailed from Heva village in Baghpat district. He is survived by his family, including a five-year-old child. His untimely death has cast a pall of grief over the police department.
