Sepoy held for running over cyclist on Sardar Patel Marg

A sepoy was arrested on Friday for running over a cyclist in a Sena Bhawan truck at Sardar Patel Marg a day earlier, the police said, adding that the commercial vehicle belonged to the defence headquarters.

“The vehicle belongs to defence headquarters’ security troops. The driver has been identified as sepoy Om Prakash, a resident of Haryana who was posted at the defence headquarters. He has been arrested,” deputy commissioner of police (New Delhi) Amrutha Guguloth said.

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Around 7am on Thursday, Kunwar Arora — a cycling enthusiast who founded a bicycle spare parts company and was a resident of Swasthya Vihar in East Delhi - was riding his bicycle down Sardar Patel Marg, near a luxury hotel, when he slipped and fell to his right, as his bicycle flung to the left. Video footage of the incident showed Arora coming under the rear wheel of the truck. The truck driver fled the spot after the accident.

A passerby spotted Kunwar and informed the police, who reached the spot and took him to Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival.

Army spokespersons did not comment on the matter.

A post-mortem examination was conducted on Friday morning, after which the body was handed to the family. A senior police officer said the PCR call was made at 7.10pm, and the incident took place 10 minutes earlier.

Meanwhile, scores of people gathered to pay their tributes to Kunwar at his Swasthya Vihar residence on Friday.

Kunwar’s father Vijay Arora, a builder in the Capital, said he didn’t blame anyone, but was hurt that an Army truck ran his son over.

“I respect the Army with all my heart and it’s hurtful that the driver didn’t stop. The Army hospital was close by and he could have been taken there. Whether or not he would have survived, he could have been taken to the hospital,” he said, adding that he was thankful for the passersby who informed the police.

Vijay was away on a business trip when he was informed about the accident and reached Delhi on Thursday evening.

The family said Kunwar was a cycling enthusiast, and while he didn’t take part in any cycling competitions, he had been riding for the past four or five years, and used to teach others.

Vijay said Kunwar would go for a ride around 5.30am every morning and would return around three hours later, after covering a 30-40km stretch.

According to the family, he used to often ride around the same stretch crossing SP Marg. “He was usually accompanied by two friends. But he went alone on Thursday,” he said.

Kunwar’s maternal aunt Rani Sethi, remembered Kunwar as “extremely nice” and large-hearted”.

“My grandson once told Kunwar that his bicycle needed to be repaired. Instead of just getting it repaired, he bought him a new bicycle altogether the next day,” she said

Kunwar left behind his parents, a brother and a sister.