Weeks after 35-year-old singer Jatin Khanna was killed in a hit-and-run accident on August 2, near the Mukundpur flyover in northwest Delhi, the Delhi Police on Sunday said they had changed the investigating officer (IO) after the family raised concerns about the progress of the probe and protested multiple times outside the Jahangirpuri police station.
On August 2, Khanna, a local singer, was returning home to Uttam Nagar on his bike when an unknown vehicle rammed into his bike. The accused managed to flee, police said.
According to police, they reached the spot within seven to eight minutes and rushed Khanna to a hospital, where he was declared dead.
Over the next weeks, Khanna’s family sought justice and a fair probe and raised concerns over the investigation. They also protested multiple times outside the police station.
On Sunday, during another such protest, police said they received the family’s complaint and subsequently changed the IO.
Khanna’s brother, Rohit Khanna, said the family had concerns about the response following the accident and the progress of the investigation.
“The accident took place at 4am. My brother was rushing home from a Mata Ki Chowki because it was his daughter’s fourth birthday. We didn’t know this would happen. He was killed by a car. When we reached the spot, we could see him alive but unconscious. Police was also there, but the investigating officer said only an ambulance could take him. My brother was alive. He could have been alive today. The delay in the ambulance’s arrival, which took around 20-30 minutes affected his chances of survival. His wife leaves the child at a relative’s home every day and we stage protests,” he said.
Rohit alleged that the family had not been shown any CCTV footage from the accident site so far.
“The policeman was rude and didn’t help us. When we asked about the accused, they said they hadn’t identified him. There are five CCTVs at the spot. How is it possible? We spoke to eyewitnesses, but the IO did not take their statements. It’s been almost a month now. We want answers. What happened with my brother that day?” he said.
Khanna’s wife, Navya, said the family has been travelling from Uttam Nagar every day to meet the station house officer and the IO.
“We want answers. Who killed him? It’s been a month now. We want to know why his brothers were not allowed to take him to hospital and why the CCTV footage has not been shown to us. Are hit-and-run accidents not a serious crime?” she said.
ACP Yogendra Khokhar on Sunday said the IO was changed following the family’s concerns and that efforts to trace the accused were continuing.
“We have received their complaint. They are not satisfied with the probe and have also levelled allegations against the IO. We have acted on it and the case is now being probed to catch the accused at the earliest,” he said.
