Firing by Delhi police at Parliament street, stunt biker killed

One young biker was killed while another was injured in police firing in the wee hours here on day, police sources said.

Zee Media Bureau

New Delhi: A stunt biker was shot dead while another one was injured when delhi police fired at them in the wee hours on Sunday. The incident took place around 2.15 am near Le Meridian hotel in Parliament street of central Delhi when a group of bikers were involved in a confrontation with police officials trying to stop them from performing dangerous stunts on the roads. Karan Pandey, a resident of Malviya Nagar, was killed when a bullet fired by the police in an attempt to puncture the tyre of the bike he was riding, hit him in his back, police officials said. Pandey was riding pillion on Punit Sharma`s bike, who was injured in the incident. Both of them were rushed to Ram Manohar Lohiya hospital, where Pandey was declared dead. Sharma was found to be drunk when tests were carried out at the hospital. A police patrolling van reached the spot after there were reports that some 30 young bikers were performing dangerous stunts. When the policemen instructed them to stop, the bikers started pelting stones at them, which damaged the police vehicle. Some warning shots were fired in the air to disperse the bikers. But when the group still continued their stunts a police official tried to puncture the tyre of one of the bikes, which accidentally hit Pandey on his back. Although cops claimed that the killing of the youth was an accident, his family members and others questioned whether police could have had employed other options. Pandey`s mother accused the cops of high-handedness and demanded death penalty for the guilty personnel. "They don`t fire at terrorists and criminals. My son was not a thief or a dacoit. Police has wronged as they don`t have the right to kill a child. Cops who killed him should be hanged," said Pandey`s mother Manju. Questioning the police version, she claimed her son didn`t even knew how to ride a motorbike and demanded that a post-mortem be done by a team of doctors. "My son doesn`t even know how to ride a motorcycle and we also don`t have a motorbike at home. He also doesn`t indulge in drugs. If he was indulging in hooliganism or had misbehaved with them, they could have lathi-charged or arrested him, but they shouldn`t have fired at him. He was my only son," she said. A magisterial probe is likely to be ordered as is generally the norm in such incidents, official sources said. The police officer said, "A PCR call was received that 30-35 bikers were performing stunts opposite Gol Dakhana. When two PCR vans reached Windsor Palace, opposite Le Meridian hotel the bikers ganged up and started pelting stones at the police party during which the PCR vans were damaged and some policemen were injured. "When the youths overlooked several warnings and aerial shots fired by the police. Inspector Rajneesh Parmar of the Police Control Room fired from his service revolver in a bid to puncture a motorcycle`s rear tyre, but just at that very instance the biker did a stunt and the bullet hit the victim, Karan Pandey, who was riding pillion, in the back." Sharma was treated for injuries and he is out of danger now, doctors treating him said. "Rider Punit Sharma tested positive for alcohol," claimed Rajan Bhagat, Public Relation Officer, Delhi police. Kusumlata, Punit`s mother, said, "Police should not have fired. These were young children. Children do mistakes, but it gives no right to police to claim someone’s life." Meanwhile, cops have released CCTV footage of the streets of New Delhi area showing several bikers performing stunts late in the night. Post-mortem of Pandey will be carried out on Monday. In an effort to curb youths from performing risky motorcycle stunts around India Gate, Delhi Police had carried out a late night checking drive in this area, slapping fines on 84 motorcycle riders and impounding eight bikes early this month. The crackdown came after a number of incidents were reported in which stunt junkies either lost their lives or injured others. Even a police constable was seriously injured in a similar incident recently. With PTI inputs