A 60-year-old watchman in Delhi was brutally killed in a hit-and-run incident after an SUV driver assaulted him and ran him over twice, prompting a police investigation.
Key Points
- A 60-year-old watchman in Delhi was killed after being assaulted and run over by an SUV driver.
- The incident occurred in Peeragarhi village, with CCTV footage showing the SUV driver deliberately targeting the watchman.
- Police have registered a case of murder and are investigating the hit-and-run incident to identify the vehicle and the accused.
- The victim, Bijender Bharadwaj, was a resident of the village and worked as a watchman at the tempo stand where the incident took place.
- Authorities are analysing CCTV footage from nearby areas to track the SUV's movement and apprehend the driver involved in the fatal hit-and-run.
An SUV driver assaulted a 60-year-old watchman with a stick, and then ran him over twice with his vehicle as the man fled, killing him, in Peeragarhi village on Sunday, police said.
The deceased Bijender Bharadwaj, a resident of the village in outer Delhi, worked as a watchman at the tempo stand where the incident occurred.
Police said CCTV footage shows the vehicle waiting in one corner with its headlights on for a few minutes while the victim sat on a chair in the opposite direction.
Sequence Of Events Leading To The Watchman's Death
Detailing the sequence of events, police said a man stepped out of the vehicle carrying a large stick and attacked the victim without apparent provocation. As the victim tried to save himself, the accused returned to the SUV, ran him over once, and pushed him toward a corner, police said.
When the victim attempted to escape by running towards the main road, the accused again ran him over a second time, and fled the scene around 2:54 am, they said.
"CCTV footage in and around the area revealed that the deceased was run over twice by a four-wheeler. The footage is being examined thoroughly to identify the vehicle and reconstruct the exact sequence of events and what led to the matter," the officer said.
Police Investigation And Search For The Accused
According to the FIR, the accused stepped out of the vehicle at around 2:52 am.
Police found skid marks at the scene during inspection, indicating the vehicle had braked before or during the incident.
The deceased's relative said the victim had no enmity or dispute with anyone.
"We learned about the incident around 3:30 pm. My uncle has been working here as a security guard for one year. He was a simple man," said Sunil Bhardwaj, the victim's nephew.
"The police reached the spot and checked the CCTV footage, but the vehicle's number plate is not visible in the footage," he said.
The FIR also stated that no eyewitnesses were found in the area, and efforts are underway to gather further evidence in the case.
Ongoing Efforts To Apprehend The Culprit
The police said they are scanning CCTV footage from nearby roads, traffic intersections and commercial establishments to track the SUV's movement.
Police said a case under sections 103(1) (murder) and 3(5) (common intentions) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) has been registered at Paschim Vihar West police station. Efforts are underway to ascertain its registration number and ownership details.
Multiple teams have been deployed to trace the accused driver and the vehicle involved, the police said. Forensic and other teams inspected the scene and collected forensic and technical evidence.
An analysis of CCTV footage indicated that the victim may have been deliberately targeted, a police officer told PTI, adding that they were probing all angles.
The police said a PCR call regarding the incident was received at around 4.03 am on Sunday, following which the local team rushed to the spot.
Bijender was found lying unconscious on the road and was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he was declared brought dead.
