DHANBAD JUDGE DIES IN ‘ROAD ACCIDENT’, SIT TO PROBE

I have constituted a special investigation team led by city SP to probe all angles SANJEEV KUMAR,

Dhanbad SSP

RANCHI: An additional district and sessions judge in Dhanbad, Uttam Anand, was killed on Wednesday morning after he was hit by an unidentified vehicle in the coal city when he was out for his daily morning walk, the police said.

Local residents rushed him to Dhanbad medical college, where doctors declared him brought dead.

According to the police, Anand’s family approached them as he did not return home till 7 am. As police started looking for him, they got information about the accident. When they reached the hospital, Anand’s driver identified his body, which was lying at the hospital.

Initially, it appeared as an accident, but CCTV footage accessed by local media channels hinted at foul play, as an auto rickshaw is seen going out of its way to the extreme left of the road, and hitting the judge from behind before fleeing the spot.

Suspecting foul play, the Dhanbad police said they are filing an FIR in this connection, and all possible angles would be probed in the case.

“I have constituted an SIT (special investigation team) led by city SP to look into all possible reasons. We have requested the deceased’s family members to file a complaint and we will register an FIR,” said Dhanbad senior superintendent of police (SSP) Sanjeev Kumar.

While the police said exact reason behind the suspected foul play will be clear only after investigation, the deceased judge had reportedly recently rejected bail plea of a noted shooter from Uttar Pradesh, who is in jail in connection with a high-profile murder in Dhanbad.