Furious over the death of a 25-year-old man who was crushed under a tipper near Gehlewal cut on Rahon road, kin blocked the road with the body on Monday morning and pelted stones on the police party that had come to lift the blockade.
Meharban station house officer, sub-inspector Simranjit Kaur sustained injuries on her face as a result of the stone-pelting incident, and had to be rushed to the hospital for treatment. Assistant commissioner of police (ACP, East) Davinder Chaudhary also suffered minor injuries. Police had to use mild force to disperse the crowd.
Victim was trying to cross the road on his bike
As per information, the mishap took place around 8.15am, when the victim, identified as Kimti Lal of Mangat village, left for work. He used to work as a trainee at a saloon.
Eyewitnesses said that Lal was trying to cross the road on his motorcycle and had signaled the tipper driver to give way, but the latter ignored him and continued to speed. As a result, the victim came under the wheels of the tipper and died. The speeding vehicle allegedly dragged his body for over 50metres, eyewitnesses claimed.
The tipper driver, who was later identified as Arvinder Singh of Phillaur, fled the spot after the incident, leaving the vehicle behind.
{{/usCountry}}The tipper driver, who was later identified as Arvinder Singh of Phillaur, fled the spot after the incident, leaving the vehicle behind.
{{/usCountry}}Area residents immediately blocked the road and vandalised the tipper. They even tried to torch the vehicle. When the police intervened, the protesters started pelting them with stones and bricks.
The protesters, however, claimed that the stone pelting only started after police started cane-charging them. Police, however, managed to pacify the agitators and sent the body to the civil hospital for post-mortem. The blockade was lifted around 3.30pm.
ACP Davinder Chaudhary said the stone-pelting was done by some miscreants and that the family members of the victim were sitting near the body. He added that stern action will be taken against the miscreants.
He also informed that an FIR has been lodged against the tipper driver and police will trace him down soon.