Police expand probe to Gujarat to find driver who killed officer
Authorities are searching for a driver suspected of running over a Khategaon Station House Officer during a hit-and-run on Monday.
Madhya Pradesh police have expanded their investigation to Gujarat to locate a driver suspected of killing a policeman on the Indore-Betul Highway on Monday, according to The Hindu. Khategaon Station House Officer (SHO) Dilip Puri was killed and a constable was injured while attempting to intercept a truck carrying 1,800 litres of illicit liquor.
The driver, identified as Gajendra, also known as Akku Rawat, allegedly drove over a road divider to escape and ran over the SHO with the truck's rear wheel. Police have sent a team to Gujarat where Rawat is suspected to be hiding, while other teams are searching Alirajpur, Dhar, Jhabua, Dewas, and Indore districts.
Officials have arrested three people, including Rahul Jaiswal, who is accused of managing the smuggling network from Timarni in Harda district to Gujarat. Keram Singh Changod and Vijay Rao have also been arrested, with Changod allegedly providing the truck to Rawat and Rao reportedly admitting to working for Jaiswal.
Dewas Superintendent of Police Aditya Mishra told PTI that the police aim to expose the illegal smuggling network stretching from Madhya Pradesh to Gujarat. A reward of ₹10,000 has been announced for the arrest of each absconding accused.
In response to the incident, an assistant district excise officer and two constables have been suspended. Additionally, the licences of three liquor shops in Harda district operating under the name of Patendra Jaiswal, who is linked to the network, have been suspended.