Delhi policeman dies minutes after being assaulted on road ‘He was concerned over bootlegging’
NEWDELHI: A sub-inspector in the Delhi Police died after he was allegedly assaulted on a street near his house in East Delhi’s Vivek Vihar Sunday night by a man who is involved in at least 21 cases of robbery, assault and stalking, police said Monday.
Though the 58-year-old policeman, identified as Raj Kumar, a cardiac patient, collapsed while riding a scooter about 30 minutes after the alleged assault by his neighbour Vijay Bhuri, police suspect that his death is linked to the incident. Bhuri has been charged with murder and arrested.
Bhuri was apparently angry because he believed the sub-inspector had shot a video which may have implicated him for bootlegging, police maintained.
According to Kumar’s family, he left his house in Vivek Vihar’s Kasturba Nagar around 9pm for an after-dinner stroll. Dr LK Verma, a physician who runs a clinic near the sub-inspector’s house, said Kumar came to his clinic, where they were sitting and discussing the national elections.
“Kumar and I have been friends for over two decades. He, Pawan Kumar, who runs a shop next to my clinic, and I, were talking. Around 9.30pm, I had just packed up my things and we were about to leave, when Vijay Bhuri came in and accused Kumar of making a video of him,” the doctor said.
He said Kumar and Bhuri got into a heated argument. “When I saw people crowding the place, I left. I did not realise that the spat would turn violent, ” he added.
Pawan Kumar was also injured in the scuffle. “Pawan, who witnessed the incident, told me that in order to escape, Kumar tried to climb a staircase but was dragged down and thrashed. My brother also sustained injury on his arm. He said, since locals started to gather, Bhuri fled the scene,” Pawan’s brother Saurabh said.according to family members, Kumar returned home around 9.50pm. “My elder sister told me he had a cut on his chin,” Kumar’s youngest of three daughters, Vaishali, said. She added that Kumar insisted on filing an FIR and took out his scooter to go to Vivek Vihar police station.“my sister Shalu went with him. They had barely gone for half a kilometre when my father fell unconscious. My sister took an auto-rickshaw and took him to a nearby hospital. My father was further referred to Max Hospital, Patparganj, where the doctors pronounced him dead on arrival,” Vaishali said.
Meghna Yadav, deputy commissioner of police (Shahadra), said the medical examination has found a superficial cut on Kumar’s chin and a blunt injury mark on the chest, she said. “Following initial probe, we raided Bhuri’s house and arrested him for the murder. Witnesses told us that Bhuri attacked Kumar with scissors. However, Kumar was also a heart patient . We are waiting the post mortem report to ascertain the cause of death,” Yadav said.the DCP also said that Bhuri’s allegation of Kumar recording his video is being looked into. “We are yet to check Kumar’s phone and ascertain if there is such a video,” DCP Yadav said. According to police, Bhuri is involved in 21 criminal cases. Kumar, who was posted in Delhi Police’s communications unit, had joined the force in 1990 as a head constable wireless operator. He has served in many departments such as traffic police and the special branch of Delhi Police. NEW DELHI: It had taken sub-inspector Raj Kumar a lot of effort to get a police post built near his home in Vivek Vihar’s Kasturba Nagar. His family members said Kumar pushed the police department to get it made because he was concerned about the rising cases of bootlegging in the area and wanted to initiate steps to maintain law and order.
However, when Kumar was assaulted allegedly by 28-year-old Vijay Bhuri, who has at least 21 cases of stalking, robbery, burglary and assault registered against him Sunday night, the police post was locked.
The family members claimed Kumar had planned a celebration at home Sunday — it was his daughter Rajni’s first day of job. Rajni, the second of three sisters and a law graduate, was out with his younger sister when she got a call that her father has died. Kumar’s nephew, Niraj Verma, said his uncle often used to object to people drinking out in the open. “He had arguments with local men who would indulge in bootlegging,” Verma said. DCP (Shahdara), Meghna Yadav, said, “In 2018, we came across 53 cases of illicit liquor with 20 cases of gambling. Seven incidents of narcotics were reported and action was taken in 12 cases of illegal arms possession.”
So far in 2019, police have taken action in 28 cases of illicit liquor and four cases of gambling along with two cases of illegal arms and one of narcotics.
Residents of the area said police have failed to control the menace of bootlegging in the neighbourhood.