Truck driver shot dead for taking on robbers

A truck driver was shot dead for resisting robbery at gunpoint in east Delhi’s Harsh Vihar area on Saturday night. No one has been arrested yet.

The victim has been identified as 28-year-old Pankaj, a resident of Uttar Pradesh’s Saharanpur. After loading his UP number truck with cement, he had arrived at Delhi with his helper Chandan.

The truck was unloaded at Sevadham Road in Harsh Vihar’s Mandawali area. After emptying the truck, Pankaj and Chandan began cooking food in their parked vehicle itself at a comparatively less-frequented location.

“Just as they began having their dinner, two unidentified persons boarded the truck and at gunpoint asked them to hand over their cash and mobile phones,” said a senior police officer.

However, the two victims did not turn out to be easy targets as both of them picked up sticks lying in the truck and began beating up the robbers. “Since they often travelled through hostile areas, the truck driver and his helper normally carried sticks for self-protection,” said the officer.  

The beating, forced the robbers to abandon the robbery and flee. But Pankaj and Chandan did not let go off them and continued beating them even outside the truck.“They wanted to catch the robbers and hand them over to police. When the robbers realised that they wouldn’t be able to escape, they fired at the duo,” the officer added.

Three shots were fired by them. While one narrowly missed Chandan, a bullet hit Pankaj in the chest. 

The robbers made use of the poorly-lit surroundings and fled.

Chandan immediately informed police about the incident after which Pankaj was rushed to a nearby hospital. But doctors were unable to save him as he had bled much by then.

A case has been registered based on Chandan’s statement and a hunt launched to nab the accused.