Drug peddler dies during ‘police chase’

A chase to nab an alleged drug peddler resulted in his death after his bike rammed into a wall at Sadiq village in Faridkot today.

The deceased was identified as Raj Singh, alias Raju, of Kammewala Gate here.

Following the crash, the police moved the body of the deceased to Guru Gobind Singh Medical College for a post-mortem examination.

At the hospital, Raju’s family members blamed the police for the fatal crash and staged a protest. They said Raju panicked during the chase and lost control over the vehicle, leading to the accident.

“The police are trying to cover up the incident. They didn’t provide us details. Raju’s bike crashed into the wall during the chase. We demand justice,” said Amarjeet Singh, a relative of the deceased.

Contradicting the family’s claims, Sarpanch Disha Singh said Raju was driving at high speed and lost control of the bike while negotiating a sharp turn. “Cops were not present when the accident happened. They arrived at the spot after being alerted by villagers,” he said.

Denying any police involvement, DSP Tarlochan Singh said, “It is an unfortunate incident. There’s no evidence that cops were chasing him.”