High‑speed impact on Jalandhar–Pathankot highway shocks Punjab
Punjab Police have arrested Amritpal Singh Dhillon, a 26‑year‑old Non‑Resident Indian (NRI) from Jalandhar’s Dasuwal (Dasupur) village, in connection with the hit‑and‑run death of legendary marathoner Fauja Singh, aged 114, on Monday afternoon.
Eyewitnesses reported that Dhillon, allegedly driving at high speed in a white Toyota Fortuner, struck Singh while he was crossing the Jalandhar–Pathankot highway near Beas village. Singh was rushed to a local hospital but succumbed to severe head injuries.
Quick police work leads to arrest within 30 hours
Punjab Police launched an intensive investigation immediately. They recovered fragments from the vehicle’s left headlight at the scene, later matched to a Fortuner model by forensic experts.
Multiple CCTV feeds covering the stretch between 3 pm and 4 pm on July 14 were screened. Over 35 vehicles passed the accident site, and the suspect SUV was traced to a white Toyota Fortuner registered to a Kapurthala resident, who confirmed he’d sold the vehicle to Dhillon. Dhillon was arrested in Kartarpur on Tuesday evening—less than 30 hours after the incident.
The case was filed under sections 281 (rash driving) and 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
Accused’s background and alleged panic‑flight
Dhillon, who lives in Canada on a valid work permit until 2027, returned to India around late June to attend to family matters . Although he holds a valid Indian driving licence, he admitted that driving in India (left‑side) versus Canada (right‑side) disoriented him.
He confessed to hitting Singh and fleeing the scene, later stating that panic—rather than intent—was behind his actions, claiming he did not realise at the time that the victim was the renowned marathon runner.
Fauja Singh: From centenarian runner to worldwide inspiration
Born on April 1, 1911, in Beas village, Punjab, Fauja Singh earned international fame as the oldest marathoner in the world, completing his first at age 89 in London (2000). He set multiple age‑group bests in Toronto, New York, and Hong Kong, and carried the Olympic flame in 2012.
Despite a lack of formal documentation, his inspiring achievements, including finishing a marathon at age 100, earned him global admiration. Known lovingly as the “Turbaned Tornado,” he lived independently until his tragic death while returning from his daily walk to the family dhaba near his home.
What lies ahead: Legal proceedings and public grief
Dhillon is in police custody and will be produced before the court to face charges. The seized Toyota Fortuner remains under investigation.
Punjab, India, and the global running community mourn the loss of a living legend whose resilience and spirit inspired millions. The rapid arrest of the accused has brought some solace to grieving family members, notably Singh’s son Harvinder Singh, who filed the FIR and publicly lamented that timely aid might have saved his father’s life.
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