NRI arrested for hit-and-run death of marathon legend Fauja Singh
What's the story
Amritpal Singh Dhillon, a 26-year-old non-resident Indian (NRI), was arrested late on Tuesday for allegedly causing a hit-and-run accident that killed 114-year-old marathon runner Fauja Singh, popularly known as "Turbaned Tornado." The incident occurred on Monday on the Jalandhar-Pathankot highway near Jalandhar in Punjab. Dhillon was nabbed two days after the accident, which left Fauja with head injuries. He was taken to a hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries.
Investigation progress
How the police cracked the case
Singh was hit by an unidentified vehicle while walking on the Jalandhar-Pathankot highway around 3:30pm. He was rushed to a nearby hospital but succumbed to his injuries by 8:00pm. The police identified Dhillon through CCTV footage that captured the incident. The footage revealed that a Punjab-registered white Toyota Fortuner was involved in the hit-and-run. The vehicle was registered in the name of Varinder Singh from Kapurthala, who confirmed selling his car to Dhillon. It has been seized.
Confession details
Accused admits to crime
Dhillon, who returned to India from Canada a week ago, admitted to the crime during interrogation. He said he was returning home after selling his mobile phone when the accident happened. However, he claimed he had no idea that his victim was Singh until he learned about it from news reports.
Life story
Fauja Singh's life and running journey
Singh, born on April 1, 1911, to a farming family, moved to England in the early 1990s after his wife's death. He took up running after his son's death in 1994. In 2000, he made his marathon debut at the London Marathon at age 89 and went on to run marathons in Toronto and New York, among other cities.
Fitness ambassador
Last competitive race, tribute from PM Modi
Singh was a torchbearer for the 2004 Athens Games and the 2012 London Olympics. He ran his last competitive race in 2013 at age 101, finishing a 10-kilometer race in Hong Kong. Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to him, calling him "extraordinary because of his unique persona and the manner in which he inspired the youth of India on a very important topic of fitness."