Speeding Mercedes rams police bike; cop dead

[Sir john]

In another late-night speeding disaster, a police constable on duty was killed and another critically injured when a zooming Mercedes car rammed their bike from behind and dragged it for about 100 metres at Paschim Vihar, west Delhi, around 1am on Tuesday. The driver of the car, identified as Gurdeep Singh, 36, owns a well known pub, Ice Lounge, at a mall in Saket and another in Gurgaon, police said. He fled the spot and was arrested in the morning. Singh tested negative for alcohol during a medical examination in the morning, police added. The constables - 39-year-old Deepak Kumar Chauhan who was declared dead in hospital and Amit Kumar, 24 - were on patrol duty around B1 block in Paschim Vihar. They were moving towards their designated 'halt point' on road number 30 outside B1 block, when they were hit. Police said the bike was rammed from behind as it was turning right towards Madipur. Chauhan, driving the bike, was flung in the air on impact and landed on the windscreen of the Mercedes. The pillion rider, Kumar, also went flying and hit the car's window pane on the driver's side before falling to the road, eyewitnesses said. According to eyewitness accounts, the Mercedes sped on without slowing - dragging the bike with it for about 100 metres - till it smashed against police barricades along the road. The driver then reversed the car and escaped at high speed. The loud noise of the crash brought passersby and residents sleeping in the vicinity rushing to the spot. One of the residents took the constables to hospital while others informed the police about the accident. "We received a call around five minutes past one and rushed to the spot. The victim had been taken to the hospital. While Chauhan had been declared 'brought dead', Kumar was admitted with injuries in the head and other places," said a senior police officer. Hospital sources said Chauhan had died of excessive bleeding from the neck and other injuries. The chase game began after the accident as cops began operations to trace the car and its driver. Acting on a tip-off from an eyewitness, cops landed up at Ekta Apartments in the vicinity where the accused had reportedly come to visit a friend. As the whereabouts of the driver were confirmed, a wireless message was flashed regarding the Mercedes bearing registration number DL 3C CE 9000. The cops traced friend and got Gurdeep's address from him. Despite the alert, cops said Gurdeep was able to drive to Saket and park his car at the MGF mall. Gurdeep was traced at his house in Greater Kailash area. Gurdeep told cops that he fled the spot because of panic. The car was picked up from the mall and impounded. The accused was granted bail in the evening and allowed to go home. "We have arrested the accused driver and registered a case of rash and negligent driving (237 IPC), causing death due to negligence (304A) and causing grievous hurt (337) against him," said Additional CP (west) V Renganathan. "The matter is being further investigated." Commenting on the incident, Jaswinder Singh Honey, a family friend, said, "It was just an accident. We feel really sorry for the family and are ready to do whatever we can to compensate for the loss. Gurdeep got extremely nervous after the accident and feared a public outrage. That's why he left the spot. He has no criminal record and has been a responsible person." Later in the evening, senior police officers attended Chauhan's cremation at Nigambodh Ghat.

RIP