Policeman hit by speeding vehicle of suspected drug smugglers

A 55-year-old police officer died after he was hit by a speeding vehicle of suspected drug smugglers in Tripura's Sipahijala district, police said on Friday.

The incident happened at South Kalamchoura bazar, near India-Bangladesh border, on Thursday night when the officer and three other policemen were on patrolling duty, they said.

"Sub-inspector Durga Chardra Hrangkhawl tried to wave down a speeding vehicle but when he failed to stop it, he stood in the middle of the road to stop the next car, which hit him. He was fatally injured," Kalamchoura police station's officer-in-charge Bharat Debbarma told reporters.

He was rushed to a nearby hospital and later shifted to G.B Pant hospital where he succumbed to injuries this morning, Debbarma said.

Three vehicles were identified and search operations are on, Sub-divisional police officer, Shouvik Dey said.

"It is suspected that the phensedyl smugglers were involved with killing of the officer", he said.

State Law Minister Ratan Lal Nath and Director General of Police (DGP) Akhil Kumar Shukla and other police officials paid respect to Hrangkhawl.

The state government has ordered an enquiry into the case and announced an ex-gratia of Rs 10 lakh to the next of kin of the deceased police officer.