Chandigarh: A 23-year-old man was allegedly mowed down by a pick-up truck driver after an argument over rash driving at Ramdarbar on Holi night. Sector 31 police have arrested the driver and his helper on charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder and sent them to judicial custody. The victim’s family has also alleged that the driver appeared to be under the influence of alcohol.Police identified the accused as Sunil Kumar, 30, of Zirakpur, and his associate Phool Singh, 32, originally from Pratapgarh, Uttar Pradesh. Sunil was driving the pick-up at the time of the incident.The victim, Suraj, a cab driver and resident of Ramdarbar, was walking with his cousin Priyanshu around 3.30pm on Wednesday when the pick-up allegedly came dangerously close to hitting them. Suraj and Priyanshu asked the driver to slow down, following which a heated argument and scuffle broke out.Suraj’s father, Panchi Chauhan, claimed that the driver and his helper then allegedly dragged Suraj inside the vehicle and tried to speed away. In the ensuing struggle, Suraj fell from the moving truck and was run over. The accused did not stop the vehicle despite seeing him on the road, Chauhan claimed. Priyanshu attempted to intervene but the pick-up sped off.Suraj was rushed to GMCH-32 on a scooter by Priyanshu and a neighbour, but he succumbed to his injuries during treatment.Police were informed soon after. Sector 31 police said CCTV footage confirms that Suraj fell from the pick-up and was hit, and that the accused drove away. According to police, the suspects claimed they fled out of fear of being assaulted by local residents. Both were later arrested based on the footage and eyewitness accounts.
