2 Ghaziabad cops booked after man dies of heart attack during traffic check

Ghaziabad police late Tuesday registered an FIR against unidentified traffic constables allegedly involved in an incident when a 34-year-old man reportedly died of a heart attack after an argument with the cops on Sunday. It is alleged the incident took place after the cops stopped the victim’s car for checking of documents, during which they also allegedly banged their baton on the car’s bonnet.

Police said the family of the victim, Gaurav Sharma, submitted a complaint Tuesday night into the incident upon which the FIR was registered, under IPC Section 304a (causing death by negligence) at the Indirapuram police station. Gaurav was a resident of Shatabdi Vihar in Noida’s Sector 52, who was travelling in his car with his parents from Noida to Ghaziabad to meet their relatives.

“We have registered an FIR based on the complaint by the family. They have alleged negligence on part of traffic officials. An investigation has been initiated into the incident and an inquiry by superintendent of police (traffic) is underway. The outcome will decide the course of action,” said Sudhir Kumar Singh, senior superintendent of police, Ghaziabad.

Ghaziabad police said Tuesday they have identified two traffic cops who were deployed where the incident took place.

The family, in its complaint, alleged the officials allegedly used harsh language and stopped the car by hitting the baton on its bonnet near NH-9.

“When we asked them the reason, the traffic official again used harsh language and asked for documents. When Gaurav tried to park the car to the road side, the cop hit the bonnet of the car with a stick and told us that he will issue us a fine through a mobile camera. We were wearing seat belts and our speed was also within the limit and we were about to show him the documents... we could not understand the reason for their misbehaviour. Gaurav was feeling anxious and when he got down to show the papers, he fell down,” the family alleged in its complaint.

“We tried to pick Gaurav up but the officials did not help us and left, even after they saw what was happening. It was possible that Gaurav could have survived had the traffic officials helped us out in getting medical assistance,” the complaint added.

Police said the family did not get a post mortem conducted.

“The inquiry will be over by Thursday. We have to inquire about the incident from the traffic officials and how it all happened. Normally, traffic officials are not given any sticks. The inquiry will highlight how the incident took place as well as about the health condition of the deceased. Anyway, the investigation will supersede the inquiry as an FIR has been lodged,” said SN Singh, superintendent of police, traffic.

Gaurav is survived by his wife and a five-year-old daughter.