Man beaten to death in traffic jam for not reversing vehicle

Friday, April 3, 2009
http://www.expressindia.com

An argument over reversing a vehicle led to the murder of a 22-year-old man in Northeast Delhi on Thursday.

The victim was beaten to death by a group of men in the Karawal Nagar area when the light goods vehicle (LGV) he was travelling in got stuck in a jam.

“The deceased, Hari Om, was a salesman in the Karawal Nagar market. He got caught in a jam near Maavi Nursing home on his way to Novelty Cinema. He was going

to sell old tyres in a Vikram LGV. The LGV driver, Pawan Kumar, told the police that Hari Om had asked him to drive towards his home in Surya Vihar where he

had left behind his mobile phone,” said a senior police officer.

The accused were in a Maruti Alto car in front of the LGV. The Alto driver asked the Pawan to reverse his vehicle, but Kumar gestured he couldn’t as the LGV

did not have a reverse gear. The five accused got out of their car and a heated argument ensued.

“The accused assaulted the three people in the LGV. Pawan and his helper, Pramod, managed to escape but Hari Om was brutally beaten up. A bystander called

the police after which the accused fled,” said a police officer.

Hari Om’s uncle, Sri Ramesh, said: “By the time I reached, he was almost dead. He was to get married in three months.”

The police immediately rushed Hari Om to Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival.

The police claimed that there were two accused, while eyewitnesses put the number at five. “We have leads and will nab the accused soon. We suspect they are

locals and live in the same area,” said a senior officer. Hari Om lived in Surya Vihar, Shahadatpur, in Karawal Nagar area. His parents live in Etah in Uttar

Pradesh, the police said.