A Deputy Superintendent of Haryana Police (DSP) was killed when he tried to stop illegal mining in Haryana's Nuh district.
Officials said that Tauru DSP Surendra Singh was investigating illegal stone-mining. He was killed when a truck he had signalled to stop in Nuh district drove into him.
Singh had signalled a dumper-truck to a halt to check documents. But the driver sped on and ran over him.
As the truck sped towards them, Singh's gunman and driver jumped aside to safety, but he was hit.
Singh along with his team had gone to conduct raids to stop illegal mining in Aravalli hills in Pachgaon area near Tauru when he spotted the truck at 11.50 am. He was rushed to hospital where doctors declared him dead, according to police.
Hours after Singh's death, Haryana Police said the truck's cleaner was arrested after being shot at and injured during an encounter with police.
Police later identified the arrested man as Ikkar, the truck’s cleaner who was admitted at Nuh’s Nalhar Medical College. Initial reports had suggested that the man caught was the driver.
Haryana's Director General of Police (DGP) PK Agrawal visited the spot in Nuh and told reporters that a case of murder has been registered.
He said, "I am told one suspect has been arrested after an encounter with police. The suspect has sustained a bullet injury in his leg and has been nabbed. Other accused will be nabbed soon. All culprits involved in this will be dealt with strictly as per the law. The Haryana police will not spare any culprit."
Agrawal said police teams are conducting raids to track down others involved in the killing.
Haryana Police in a tweet extended condolences to Singh's family.
"DSP Taoru Shri Surender Singh laid down his life today in the course of duty. Haryana Police extends its deepest condolences to the bereaved family of the brave officer. No effort shall be spared in bringing the offenders to face justice," said Haryana Police in a tweet.
Announcing Rs 1 crore compensation to Singh's family, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said no culprit in the case will be spared.
"In the murder case of Tauru DSP Surendra Singh, orders have been given to take strict action. Not a single culprit will be spared," Khattar said in a tweet in Hindi.
Senior Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala demanded a judicial inquiry into the incident. He alleged that mining mafia was getting patronage from the government.
He said, "Does the chief minister not know that the mining mafia is flourishing from Yamunanagar to Nuh and Mewat? Why is the government acting like a mute spectator?"
Surjewala further said a murder case should be registered and all culprits should be arrested.
Leader of Opposition in Haryana Assembly, Bhupinder Singh Hooda, alleged that law and order has collapsed in the northern state.
He said, "We have been repeatedly saying that common people are feeling unsafe, and recently, many MLAs have also received threats. It appears that the government is non-existent and there is no rule of law. When the mafia is working on this scale and has no fear, it is clear that it has got patronage."
Since 2015, about 50 complaints of illegal mining are registered every year in Nuh, officials said. Often, there are run-ins between police and members of the mining mafia.
(With PTI inputs)
