By Arun Pratap Singh
Garhwal Post Bureau
DEHRADUN, 9 May: A shocking incident of abduction, robbery and brutal assault involving a software engineer has come to light in Dehradun’s Premnagar area, where two scooter-borne miscreants allegedly kidnapped the youth while he was returning home from work late at night from Sahastradhara Crossing, robbed him of his belongings and later threw him off the Jamunwala bridge into a river under the jurisdiction of Prem Nagar police station, leaving him critically injured.
The victim, identified as Akash Kumar, is a 23-year-old software engineer is employed with a company at IT Park. Late night on Thursday, he sustained a fracture in his spinal cord after being thrown from Jamunwala bridge. He reportedly remained trapped among rocks near the riverbank throughout the night, battling severe injuries and struggling for survival before being rescued the following morning by Army personnel stationed nearby.
According to the complaint lodged at Prem Nagar police station by the victim’s father Vinod Kumar, residents of Shivaji Marg on Kanwali Road, Akash works night shifts from 6 pm to 2 am. Late on Thursday night at around 2.15 am, he had reached Sahastradhara Crossing and was attempting to book an online bike ride to return home when two youths riding a scooter approached him and forcibly took him away.
The accused allegedly drove the victim through various parts of the city, including Ghantaghar, Bindal bridge and Garhi Cantt, before taking him to Jamunwala bridge. There, the assailants reportedly assaulted him brutally, snatched his bag, two mobile phones and Rs 700 kept in his wallet, and then pushed him off the bridge into the river below.
The fall caused serious injuries to Akash, including a fracture in his spine. Unable to move, he remained lying injured among stones near the river throughout the night. On Friday morning, local residents heard his cries for help and informed the Army personnel present in the nearby military area. The soldiers subsequently carried out a rescue operation and brought the injured youth to safety.
Police were later informed about the incident and the victim was shifted to Doon Hospital for treatment, where he is presently undergoing medical care.
On the basis of the complaint filed by the victim’s family, police have registered a case against unidentified accused persons and launched an investigation into the incident. CCTV footage from nearby areas is being examined to trace the culprits.
At the same time, Senior Sub-Inspector Jitendra Kumar of Premnagar police station has stated that efforts are underway to identify and arrest the accused. He added that the victim was still not completely stable, both mentally and physically, and was therefore unable to provide a detailed and coherent account of the entire sequence of events.
However, despite the clarification by the Doon police, serious questions arise regarding working of the Doon Police. Despite several serious crimes including accidents and murders in certain vulnerable areas and despite the fact that the Doon Police claim to be running a special drive called Operation Prahari, such incidents continue to occur with a regular frequency. This particular incident apart, there is another video currently viral on social media which shows molestation attempt by two bike ridden persons in Garhi Cantt. The police are yet to issue any statement regarding this incident.
