Disabled security guard thrashed, mowed down twice by SUV over parking tiff in West Delhi; watch

NEW DELHI: A 60-year-old security guard was killed after being run over by a vehicle in West Delhi's Peeragarhi early on Sunday. The police initiated a murder investigation after CCTV footage revealed that the elderly man was run over twice by the same car before the driver fled the scene.

The elderly man, identified as Bijender, was intentionally mowed down following an argument near a tempo parking stand where he worked as a chowkidar at night.

Police received a PCR call regarding a fatal accident at Paschim Vihar West police station around 4.03am on Sunday. The incident took place near the entry gate of Peeragarhi Village, close to a temple and adjacent to a tempo stand. When police reached the spot, Bijender was found lying unconscious in a pool of blood, and succumbed to the injuries soon after.

During preliminary investigation, officers noticed skid marks at the spot, raising suspicion that the incident may not have been a simple road accident. An examination of CCTV footage from the area allegedly showed the victim being deliberately targeted by occupants of a four-wheeler.

The CCTV footage shows a black SUV approaching the entrance of the tempo stand, where Bijender was seated on a chair near the gate. A man is then seen stepping out of the vehicle and getting into an argument with the elderly guard.

The heated arguments soon turned violent, with the man assaulting Bijender using a stick. The accused later got back inside the vehicle while Bijender, who was partially disabled, attempted to move away from the spot. Seconds later, the SUV rammed into him and ran over him twice before speeding away.

The man lay there bleeding for over an hour before help arrived. Police sources said it appears that three to four people were seated inside the SUV, prompting cops to investigate how many individuals may have been involved in the killing.

Police suspect that this was aroad rage incident and driver may have acted in a fit of rage following an altercation at the parking stand, though investigators are also probing whether the incident could be linked to an attempted vehicle theft that went awry. Cops said the exact motive behind the murder remains unclear.

Bijender is survived by his son, his daughter in law and granddaughter. His wife passed away 7 years ago due to illness.

Ravi Sharma, the victim’s son, said, “My father had met with an accident about a year ago and suffered a disability in one leg. He was on bed rest for several months, but even after that he continued working there so he could keep earning for the family.”

He added, “Early morning, we got to know that something had happened. My elder brother received a call and informed me. When we reached there, my father was already dead. There was a CCTV camera installed at the spot. When we checked the footage, we saw that first a man got out of the car and attacked him with a stick. Then the car ran over him multiple times. My father never had any enmity with anyone.”

“He was known in the village to be a very simple and soft-spoken man,” said Mahavir Prasad, a local. “He used to take care of the tempo stand and worked there as a security guard. Around 50 vehicles, both small and big, are parked there and they belong to villagers and local residents.” A case has been registered under Sections 103 (murder) and 3(5) (common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

Multiple teams have been formed to identify and trace the SUV and its occupants. No arrests have been made yet.