'He was run over twice': Faridabad ACP's Thar in spotlight after property dealer's death sparks protest

Crime

A property dealer was run over and killed in Faridabad by an SUV registered to an assistant commissioner of police, sparking allegations of a biased investigation and political influence. The incident has led to the detention of four individuals, including the ACP's son.

The victim, Manoj Kumar Mangla, was returning from Vrindavan with friends in the early hours of Sunday. The group stopped at a restaurant in Sector 12 around 1.30 am.

Tragedy struck when Mangla was struck by a Mahindra Thar. According to a TOI report, his brother Vicky Kumar alleged that Mangla was crushed under the vehicle's wheels after he asked the driver to slow down.

The accused then allegedly reversed the SUV to run over him a second time before fleeing the scene. Mangla was rushed to a private hospital but succumbed to his injuries.

The investigation took a significant turn when the Thar, bearing registration HR19H-0027, was traced back to Rajesh Lohan, the ACP (Sarai) of Faridabad. This connection immediately raised suspicions of preferential treatment.

Police initially registered a case of culpable homicide not amounting to murder. However, following intense protests from Mangla's family, the charges were upgraded to murder.

Usha Devi, DCP (Central Faridabad), as reported by TOI, confirmed that four persons had been detained for questioning. This group includes the ACP's son.

A critical question remains unanswered: who was driving the vehicle at the time? A special investigation team (SIT) led by an ACP has been formed to examine CCTV footage and call records to establish this fact.

The family's grief quickly turned into protest. At Faridabad Civil Hospital, they refused to accept Mangla's body, demanding the immediate arrest of the accused and a murder case.

They accused the police of shielding the suspects due to their influential connections. The family insists it was the ACP's son who was behind the wheel. The body was only handed over for cremation on Tuesday after police assurances of swift action.

The Faridabad police have strongly denied any inaction or bias in the case. DCP Usha Devi emphasised the steps taken by the force.

"We have formed an SIT and are collecting crucial evidence, such as CCTV footage and call details of the four men detained. No one is being favoured here," Devi was cited by TOI as saying.

She detailed that the Thar was impounded and all suspects were rounded up within hours. "It's not common to add a murder charge in an accident case. We will investigate all possible angles," the DCP added.

The sequence of events is under intense scrutiny. TOI reported that minutes before the fatal incident, Mangla and his friends had an argument with two bikers, Navdeep and Aman.

Police are investigating if this earlier altercation is linked to the murder. However, they maintain that the argument and the running over occurred in different locations.