A 42-year-old pickup driver was beaten to death after his vehicle grazed a car in Uttar Pradesh’s Saharanpur district, the police said.
The assault, which lasted nearly 20 minutes, took place barely 100 metres from Phandpuri police outpost, investigators said.
The victim has been identified as Hamid Ali, a resident of Kheda Afghan village. Police said Hamid’s rented pickup reportedly had a minor collision with a Hyundai Creta car on Thursday. “A scuffle broke out over who should give way. Locals separated the two men, but minutes later the same men intercepted Hamid near the Phandpuri outpost, dragged him out of his vehicle and assaulted him,” Saharanpur SP (Rural) Sagar Jain said.
By the time police reached the scene, Hamid was unconscious. He was rushed to a nearby hospital but died within two hours, officers said.
His post-mortem report showed multiple chest injuries and suggested that he likely died of cardiac arrest caused by repeated blows, the SP added.
Two men, identified as Manish and Mohit, have been arrested and the car has been seized. Police said three teams have been formed to trace the remaining suspects, and statements from witnesses and residents are being recorded. “Further arrests will be made based on CCTV footage and eyewitness accounts,” the SP said.
The attack has sparked anger in Hamid’s village. Late Friday night, residents blocked the Phandpuri Road; police intervened to pacify the crowd. Hamid’s family members said he was the sole breadwinner of his family. He is survived by six daughters and a brother who is speech-impaired.
