Protest Erupts Over Delay in Arrest in Fatal Hit-and-Run
Two days after two young women were killed in a hit-and-run incident, a large number of people blocked the Faridkot-Sadiq road on July 26, accusing the police of shielding the accused driver. The victims, Ranjana (alias Poojaa) and Sanjana, both in their early thirties and sisters-in-law, were returning home on a scooter after fetching water on July 24 when a speeding car traveling at nearly 100 km/h rammed into them from behind on Sadik Road. The impact was so severe that the scooter was blown to pieces, and the victims were dragged for nearly 200 meters, both dying on the spot due to fatal head injuries. The driver fled the scene immediately after the collision.
Families Allege Police Complicity
Angered over the delay in the arrest, the victims’ families, joined by local residents and trade bodies, blocked the road, alleging that police were deliberately protecting the accused despite having identified him. “It has been three days since the incident, but the police have neither arrested the accused nor brought any of his family members in for questioning. Instead, police officials are pressuring us to clear the road,” said Manoj Kumar, the husband and brother-in-law of the deceased. The families further alleged that objectionable items linked to drug use were recovered from the abandoned car, claiming the accused was driving recklessly under the influence of narcotics at the time of the crash.
Protesters Threaten to Escalate
Protesters declared that the bodies of the deceased would not be cremated until the accused was arrested, and warned that if police failed to make an arrest by the next day, they would escalate the agitation by blocking the national highway. The protest drew widespread support, with Chandan Kumar, president of the Retail Karyana Association, extending solidarity to the grieving families, while representatives of various farmer unions also joined the sit-in.
Police Respond: Accused Absconding
Responding to the protest, DSP Tarlochan Singh said the vehicle involved in the accident had been impounded and a case registered. He stated that the accused and his family had gone absconding, delaying the arrest. “The driver was identified, but he and his family are currently absconding. We assure the family that the culprit will be apprehended very soon. We appeal to the family and protesters to clear the road so the public is not inconvenienced, while police continue their investigation,” he said. The police have appealed for calm while they pursue the case.
