Latest news with #AmritpalSinghDhillon
The Print
2 days ago
- The Print
Fauja Singh's death shows Indian roads remain a national emergency—474 lives lost every day
The incident has once again brought into focus one of India's long-standing and recurring concerns: road safety and the lack of traffic discipline. Public safety and road behaviour are as much a reflection of India as its geopolitical standing or economic indicators. That is why India's ongoing road safety crisis is ThePrint's Newsmaker of the Week. The driver, 26-year-old non-resident Indian (NRI) Amritpal Singh Dhillon, has been arrested. Singh, a widely admired personality, was crossing the road in his village in Jalandhar when Dhillon ran him over with his Toyota Fortuner. Delhi : Veteran marathon runner Fauja Singh died at the age of 114. It was not an age-related death, but an accident. Singh was hit by a speeding car on the Jalandhar-Pathankot highway on 14 July. It was only last year that India witnessed one of the most horrific accidents in recent memory — the Pune Porsche case. A 17-year-old boy, driving his parents' Porsche while allegedly intoxicated, mowed down two people riding a motorcycle. The incident sparked further outrage when the Juvenile Justice Board granted him bail within hours, imposing lenient conditions like writing a 300-word essay on road safety, attending counselling at an alcohol de-addiction centre, and assisting traffic police for 15 days. A year later — and coincidentally a day after Singh's death — the board rejected the Pune city police's plea to try him as an adult. Also read: Pimpri Chinchwad shows how to put people before vehicles. It's a model for urban India Sharp rise in road accidents in India According to Ministry of Road Transport and Highways data, hit-and-run cases in India have risen sharply — from 53,334 in 2014 to 67,387 in 2022. In 2023 alone, over 172,000 people died in road accidents — amounting to 474 deaths each day, or nearly one every three minutes. Of these, 54,000 people died because they were not wearing helmets, and 16,000 because they were not wearing seat belts. These numbers are a stark reminder of how deadly Indian roads remain. In December last year, Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari said these accidents were happening because people lack respect and fear for the law. 'There are many reasons for accidents, but the biggest reason is human behaviour,' Gadkari had said. Every year, there is news about the government working to identify and rectify black spots — stretches of road known for frequent accidents — and launching campaigns asking citizens to take road safety pledges. According to a 2021 notification by the Government of India, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways identified 5,803 black spots on National Highways across 30 states and Union Territories, based on accident and fatality data from 2015 to 2018. Of these, temporary safety measures were implemented at 5,366 spots, while 3,215 had been permanently rectified, the ministry said. Also read: Traffic safety doesn't have to depend on CCTVs. New satellite tech is changing the game Overcrowded roads, apathetic public Road accidents also highlight how Indian roads are used — and mismanaged. Most roads are overcrowded, with motorised vehicles like cars, autos, and two-wheelers jostling for space alongside bicycles, carts, and rickshaws. Hawkers often occupy sidewalks, and haphazard parking narrows the usable road space even further. A report by Down to Earth links rising road fatalities to India's mobility systems. According to the report, over 90 vehicles are registered every minute, and more than 88 per cent of these are private cars or two-wheelers. One positive example comes from Kolkata, which has taken some proactive measures for road safety by implementing scientifically backed speed limits, capping vehicle speeds at 50 km/hr in urban areas and even lower in high-risk zones. Whether such measures, if applied to other cities, will yield results remains to be seen. But road accidents are not only taking lives — they are also affecting the country's GDP. In March, Gadkari said that India loses 3 per cent of its GDP due to around five lakh road accidents every year. He made these remarks while addressing AMCHAM's conference on Technology Interventions for road safety: US-India Partnership. Gadkari also criticised Detailed Project Report (DPR) consultants for poor planning and execution. 'DPR consultants are the main culprits who are responsible for the road accidents. (They prepare DPRs) sometimes because of cost-saving, other different reasons and non-serious approach,' Gadkari said. But ultimately, as Gadkari says, it's human behaviour that can bring real change. (Edited by Prashant)
Canada News.Net
5 days ago
- Canada News.Net
Canada-based NRI arrested in hit-and-run case that killed 114-yr-old marathon legend Fauja Singh
Jalandhar (Punjab) [India], July 16 (ANI): A Canada-based NRI has been arrested in connection with the hit-and-run case that claimed the life of 114-year-old legendary marathon runner Fauja Singh, Jalandhar police said on Wednesday. The accused, identified as Amritpal Singh Dhillon, works in Canada and had returned to India on June 23, reportedly for the construction of his house. 'The accused has been identified as Amritpal Singh Dhillon, and he is 26 years old. He works in Canada and returned to India on June 23 for the construction of his house. His sister and mother are also settled in Canada,' Jalandhar Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Rural Harvinder Singh Virk said. 'The incident took place on July 14, and after hitting Fauja Singh, he fled from the spot and parked his car in a garage. We arrested him at his residence on Tuesday. He later told us that he came to know from the news that the person he hit was Fauja Singh,' SSP Virk added. The incident occurred on July 14, around 3 pm, on the Jalandhar-Pathankot National Highway, when Fauja Singh, a resident of Beas village under Adampur police station limits, stepped out for his routine post-lunch walk. 'The incident occurred at Jalandhar-Pathankot National Highway around 3 pm, when Fauja Singh, a resident of Beas village under Adampur police station, stepped out for a walk after lunch. He was walking alone when a speeding white vehicle hit him. He was rushed to Shriman Hospital, but succumbed to his injuries during treatment around 7 pm,' police said. Fauja Singh, popularly known as the 'Turbaned Tornado,' was a globally celebrated figure known for his record-breaking runs even past the age of 100. (ANI)
NDTV
5 days ago
- NDTV
How Punjab Police Arrested NRI In Fauja Singh Hit-And-Run Case In 30 Hours
The Punjab Police on Tuesday night arrested Canada-based Amritpal Singh Dhillon, the man who rammed his car into 114-year-old marathon runner Fauja Singh on the Jalandhar-Pathankot highway and fled the scene. The arrest comes a day after the world's oldest marathon runner, Fauja Singh, died after suffering a head injury in a road accident. The Punjab Police claim to have cracked the case in 30 hours. In a press briefing, Harvinder Singh Virk, Senior Superintendent of Police, Jalandhar Rural, detailed how they cracked the case and arrested the 26-year-old accused, NRI Amritpal Singh Dhillon. On Monday, Fauja Singh, popularly known as the "Turbaned Tornado", left his home for a walk after lunch. A CCTV footage of moments before he was moved down shows the runner walking down a road in his native village, Bias. He stops for a couple of seconds before resuming his walk. Barely 120 meters away from his home, at 3:08 pm, a Toyota Fortuner hit him on the Jalandhar-Pathankot Highway while he was crossing a road. The marathon runner suffered head injuries and was rushed to the hospital, where he died during treatment. Upon investigation, the police recovered fragments of vehicle's headlight at the crime scene, which is said to have given a crucial lead. The police sent these broken parts to an expert who recognised the make of the car and identified it as an old Fortuner. The cops then skimmed through the footage of the CCTV installed at the Jalandhar-Pathankot highway where the accident took place, between 3 pm and 4 pm. The police spotted over 40 cars crossing the path and from that, they identified the said Fortuner and the vehicle number. The number plate revealed that the vehicle was registered in the name of Varinder Singh, a resident of Kapurthala. However, during interrogation, Varinder Singh informed that he had sold his car to the accused. Accused Amritpal Singh Dhillon Returned From Canada Three Weeks Ago Amritpal Singh Dhillon, originally from Kartarpur in Jalandhar, lives with his family - mother and three sisters - in Canada. Dhillon, 26, moved to Canada eight years ago, after his father's death and started working as a labourer. He has a work permit valid till 2027. The accused visits Punjab once a year. This year, he had come to India on June 23 to repair his house. The accused has admitted the crime and said he was returning home after selling his mobile phone when his car hit the ace runner. The police arrested him in his native village. During interrogation, the accused said he was scared after the accident, which is why he fled. The accused claims he didn't know the victim was Fauja Singh and learnt about him through the news.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Yahoo
Man arrested over hit-and-run death of world's 'oldest' marathon runner
Police in India have arrested a man in connection with the death of a 114-year-old British runner in a hit-and-run accident. Fauja Singh - believed to be the oldest in the world to complete a marathon - was during a trip to his birth village of Beas Pind in Punjab, . He suffered severe head injuries and was taken to hospital where he later died. Police investigating the incident have arrested a 26-year-old man for allegedly hitting him with a car, local media NDTV reported. The accused, named by the outlet as Amritpal Singh Dhillon, said that he learnt about the death of Mr Singh through the news. During a news conference, senior police officer Harvinder Singh Virk suggested the accused was speeding at the time of the collision. His Toyota Fortuner was identified using CCTV footage and parts of the vehicle were allegedly found at the scene. Singh had lived in Ilford in east London since 1992, and become an inspiration for countless athletes by running marathons beyond his 100th birthday. His athletic achievements were made even more remarkable considering he suffered from thin and weak legs as a child - and couldn't walk until he was five years old. Singh's maiden marathon in London was in 2000, with a time of six hours and 54 minutes - 58 minutes faster than other runners of a comparable age. After serving as a torchbearer at the London 2012 Olympics aged 101, he retired.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Yahoo
Driver held for hit-and-run death of world's 'oldest' marathon runner
Police in India have arrested a man in connection with the death of Fauja Singh, the world's oldest marathon runner, in a hit-and-run case. According to the police, the accused, Amritpal Singh Dhillon was driving a speeding SUV when he struck the 114-year-old British-Indian runner. Singh sustained critical injuries and died shortly after being taken to hospital. The incident took place in the northern state of Punjab on Monday, where Singh was out on his afternoon walk. Singh, a global icon, set records by running marathons across multiple age categories, including when he was over 100. He began running at 89 and ran nine full marathons between 2000 and 2013, when he retired. A white-coloured SUV, allegedly used in the incident, has also been recovered by the police. The hit and run occurred near Fauja Singh's birth village of Beas Pind, close to Jalandhar city. Police said Singh was crossing a road when he was struck by a vehicle. Locals took him to hospital, where he later died. According to Indian media reports citing the police complaint, the runner's life might have been saved had the 26-year-old driver immediately taken Singh to the hospital. Singh had many records to his name. In 2011, he reportedly became the first person over 100 to finish a full marathon, in Toronto. He also carried the Olympic torch at the 2012 London Olympics. Despite his achievements, Guinness World Records could not recognise him as the oldest marathon runner because he did not have a birth certificate from 1911. The BBC earlier reported that Singh's British passport showed his date of birth as being 1 April 1911, and that he had a letter from the Queen congratulating him on his 100th birthday. Guinness said they wanted to give him the record but could only accept official documents from the year of birth. His marathon trainer had earlier said that birth certificates were not issued in India at the time. His running club and charity, Sikhs In The City, said its upcoming events in Ilford, east London, where he had lived since 1992, would be a celebration of his life and achievements. As a young boy, Singh was often teased in his village in Punjab because his legs were weak. He couldn't walk properly until the age of five. "But the same boy, once mocked for his weakness, went on to make history," he told BBC Punjabi in June. Singh never went to school and didn't play any sports growing up. He worked as a farmer and lived through both World Wars and the turbulent partition of India. "In my youth, I didn't even know the word 'marathon' existed," he said. He started running much later in life, after going through deep personal loss. In the early 1990s, after his wife died, Singh moved to London to live with his eldest son. But during a visit to India, he witnessed his younger son Kuldeep's death in an accident, which left him devastated. Back in the UK, Singh was overtaken by grief. One day, during a visit to the local gurdwara in Ilford, he met a group of older men who went on regular runs. That's where he also met Harmander Singh, who later became his coach and his journey as a runner began. Singh shot to international fame when Adidas signed him for their 2004 Impossible is Nothing advertising campaign, which also featured legends such as Muhammad Ali. Follow BBC News India on Instagram, YouTube, Twitter and Facebook.
