Instead of helping them, the policemen allegedly took photos of their bullet-ridden vehicle and left. (Representational image)Two journalists with ABP News and the driver of their office car were fired upon by two unknown men on a motorcycle, who chased them for around 500 metres on the Barapullah flyover Sunday. While police are yet to trace the assailants, three officers have been suspended for failing to help the men.
The incident took place around 1.30 am when a reporter and cameraman were on their way from their Noida office to report on a murder case in Karol Bagh. The assailants approached their car on the flyover near Jangpura Metro station. What followed was a chase across the flyover as the men fired at the car and the journalists ducked for cover, while their driver drove them to the nearest police picket.
Instead of helping them, the policemen allegedly took photos of their bullet-ridden vehicle and left. When a series of frantic PCR calls were made, police did not respond, leaving the three to fend for themselves, the men claimed.
JCP (Southern Range) Devender Srivastav said: “We have suspended an ASI, constable and head constable.” The PCR unit is also making a report following allegations that the PCR van arrived two hours after the incident.
Siddharth Purohit (26), the reporter, said, “I was sitting behind and my colleague was in the passenger seat. Just before the Pragati Maidan cut on the flyover, I saw two men on a motorcycle outside the window towards my right, waving a gun at me as a signal to pull over.”
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Purohit said the assailants did not conceal their faces. The driver of the motorcycle was holding a gun in his left hand. “Our driver started slowing down because he did not see the gun. He thought the motorists were asking for directions. We asked him to speed up and that’s when they fired three shots at us,” Purohit added.
Two bullets hit the driver’s side — one hit the door and the other shattered his window — Purohit said, adding that the third one missed them. He said he called PCR at 1.33 am but the call disconnected midway.
PCR staff said the first call was made at 1.33 am, but the operator couldn’t hear anything. At 2.43 am, five calls were made. “We are retrieving phone calls from our system and a report will be submitted tomorrow. There is one PCR van at INA and we are thinking of deputing a PCR van for active patrolling duty on the flyover,” said a senior PCR officer.
“There were many things going through my mind, that a bullet might hit the driver next, or my window would get smashed too,” Purohit said.
After they travelled over a kilometre, they were relieved to find three policemen at the INA picket. “We told them what had happened, but they took photos, removed the barricades and left in their jeeps,” Purohit claimed.
A case has been registered at Lodhi Colony police station under IPC sections 393 (attempt to commit robbery) and 307 (attempt to murder).
A crime branch officer said his team has taken over the probe and they have prepared a sketch of one assailant. He also claimed that it appears to be a car jacking attempt. Police said four bikes patrol the area but there are no CCTVs on the stretch.
