Head constable killed during picket checking, accused nabbed

A head constable was killed in a suspected hit-and-run case in Dwarka, police said Tuesday.

A 33-year-old man was arrested in connection with the incident which happened on the intervening night of January 7 and 8, they added.

According to police, head constables Prakash and Guljari Lal were carrying out picket checking duty at the underpass on the Kapashera Dwarka Carriageway, police said.

At about 1.00 am, a sedan car coming from the underpass-side was signaled to stop but the errant driver smashed the pickets and fled, police said adding one of the barricades fell on Lal and he injured his neck.

Sources said Lal's neck was injured as he was hit by the wheels of the barricades.

The injured policeman was taken to Venkteshwar Hospital where doctors declared him brought dead.

Lal is survived by two sons and a daughter. His daughter is working as a teacher in Kendriya Vidyalaya in Shillong, Meghalya. His sons are unemployed.

Lal, who belonged to Jaipur, joined Delhi Police in 1990. Senior officers rushed to the spot and the body was sent for post-mortem. After the autopsy, the body was escorted to Lal's native place -- Kothputli, Alwar.

Since he sacrificed his life in the line of duty, a guard of honour was given at the time of last rites which was attended by senior police officers.

With Lal's death, a team of officers was formed immediately to recover the vehicle and arrest the accused, police said.

"The make and other details of the vehicle were not available. Help was sought from various police stations in Dwarka and locals through various WhatsApp groups to look for any vehicle in accidental condition parked in housing society premises or DDA pockets," officials added.

Police teams were dispatched to check car repair shops in Dwarka and adjoining areas while insurance agents and service stations were also approached by various police teams to collect any intelligence regarding the vehicle involved in the accident, said a senior police officer.

Around noon on Tuesday, a specific input was received from a car repair mechanic in Pochanpur village that a Baleno car was parked near a shop in damaged condition, police said.

The police team rushed to the spot and verified the car and rounded up its owner from his rented premises in Pochanpur, they added.

The person, who was rounded up was identified as Nagesh Kapoor (33). During interrogation, he admitted to have committed the crime.

He revealed that he was coming from Gurugram after meeting his friends at around 1.00 am and when the police present at the picket tried to stop him for checking, he got scared and in order to escape hit the police barricades but did not know a policeman was injured in the accident, the officer said.

After the incident, he parked the damaged Baleno car at a safe place near his rented home.

When he took out his vehicle for repair to the shop, police nabbed him and seized his car, he said.

"He has been working in the accounts section at Harley Davidson showroom at Mayapuri. He completed his MBA from a university in Saharanpur, UP. His father is a bank employee. He had purchased this car seven-eight months ago from Gurugram," the officer added.

Police have taken his blood samples to ascertain whether he was drunk at the time of the accident.