Ludhiana: Friends abandon 30-yr-old in car after drug overdose, held

The Ludhiana police registered an FIR against two men after they allegedly abandoned their friend in a car, after he fell unconscious due to alleged drug overdose and died.

Police said that Vishal Khera (30), resident of Guru Nanak Nagar on Bhamia road of Ludhiana, did not return home from factory on July 30. After he did not respond to at least 230 calls made by his parents, wife and other family members, they started searching for him. On the same day, his Brezza car was found at the village Chak Sarwan Nath, with his body lying on the conductor seat.

“We rushed him to Fortis Hospital, but he had died by then,” said Prem Khera, his father, who owns a T-shirt printing factory, which Vishal used to handle.

“That day also he had gone out to deliver an order and at around 12.30 pm in the afternoon, these two men — Harjit Singh and Samrat — joined him in his car. While Harjit knew him, Samrat met him for first time that day. My son used to take liquor, but he was not a drug addict. However, they forcibly gave drugs to my son leading to his death. After his condition deteriorated, they kept roaming with him in the car but did not take him to hospital,” said the father.

Police said that both Harjit and Samrat have been arrested and as per their statements they have confessed injecting drugs in Vishal’s body. “While one of them held his hand, the other gave injection. Further probe is on but as per their initial statements, they used to take drugs together earlier too. Harjit and Samrat used to arrange drugs for Vishal. That day after the injection, Vishal got unconscious and both accused kept taking rounds in the car thinking he will gain consciousness in some time but he did not recover. They abandoned him in the car and ran away,” said Sub-Inspector Harshpal Singh, SHO, Koomkalan police station.

“According to our probe, Vishal also used to take drugs earlier but we are awaiting autopsy and viscera examination report,” he added.
Police registered an FIR against Harjit Singh of Moti Nagar and Samrat alias Mintoo of BK Estate under the Section 304 (causing death by negligence) of IPC at Koomkalan police station.

Father of the deceased has however questioned that why the accused have not been booked for murder. “They forcibly injected drugs in my son’s body and abandoned him instead of taking him to hospital. Blood was oozing out from my son’s mouth and as per doctors, his kidneys also failed immediately due to overdose. He was not into drugs but was given forcibly. He was a liquor addict, not drugs. It was a murder not accidental death. I want both accused to be booked for murder,” said father.

Vishal is survived by parents, wife and a one-year old daughter.