New Delhi, March 1: A senior citizen died after he was allegedly pushed and kicked by two constables at the Dhaula Kuan police post in south Delhi on Tuesday night. The 66-year-old retired accountant suffered a heart attack and collapsed trying to save his son from being beaten up by the cops.
The victim, Anil Kumar Arora, was taken to Safdarjung Hospital after senior officers intervened but was declared dead on arrival. The police commissioner has asked the crime branch to probe the incident. A magisterial inquiry has also been ordered.
The Arora family, returning home to Geeta Colony from Dwarka after an engagement ceremony, had stopped at the police post to ask for water to cool the over-heated radiator of their car.
Kamal Arora, the deceased's eldest son, said his brother Mohit, 32, was beaten up by a constable after he asked the cop to get off the phone and help the family. The constable slapped Mohit, pinned him down and dragged him by the collar before being joined by another colleague.
"Mohit entered the post and found constable Vikram Singh talking on his mobile. When Singh did not respond after several minutes, my brother asked him to get off the phone, saying his elderly parents, wife and their eight-month-old child were waiting in the car," said Kamal, Arora's elder son. "We could never have imagined what followed."
"Seeing his son being assaulted, Arora rushed out to help. One of the constables kicked him and pushed him hard. He fell on the floor and collapsed," said a family member who witnessed the incident.
Anil Arora had worked in DU's Motilal Nehru College.
The southwest district police later gave their version of the story. "There was a minor scuffle between constable Vikram Singh and Mohit. Later, his father Anil intervened. It has been alleged that Vikram pushed Anil, who lost consciousness and was rushed to Safdarjung Hospital where he was declared brought dead. The medical authorities on preliminary examination have not indicated any external injuries on the body of the deceased," an officer said.
Police said a case has been registered under IPC section 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) at the Delhi Cantonment police station and the investigation handed over to the crime branch.
On Wednesday morning, the Arora family said police were trying to mislead the probe. "They have claimed that my perfectly healthy father died a natural death. We have approached the court which has dismissed their petition," said Kamal Arora.
"We are waiting for the magisterial enquiry. We are also going through the CCTV footage from inside the police post and recording the statements of the deceased's son. We would be questioning the constables as well and if find evidence, we will definitely arrest them," said an investigating officer.
Kamal said the family was returning home to Geeta Colony from Dwarka when the incident took place. "We were travelling in two cars. I and my wife were in a WagonR which developed a radiator leak. We had to stop every 15km to refill water in the tank. My brother, who owns a gym in east Delhi, was driving his i10. He had collected two water jars to help me out. When we reached Subroto Park, I speeded ahead and my brother said he will follow suit after collecting the water," Kamal said.
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