Dr. S.K. Singh, Advocate,
"Police Fumble on Yamuna Bridge: How Shakarpur and I.P. Estate Cops Allegedly Shielded Their Own and Buried Evidence"
An Ordinary Night Turns Extraordinary
On the chilly night of January 12, 2023, Santosh Kumar Singh, a 35-year-old resident of Shakarpur, East Delhi, set out for his routine worship near thethe Yamuna River, close to the bustling ITO area. Little did he know that this night would thrust him into a confrontation with crime, corruption, and a test of his courage. What unfolded was a tale of theft, intimidation, and a citizen’s determination to seek justice against all odds.
Around 10:00 PM, as Santosh made his way back home from the Yamuna River, his eyes caught a peculiar sight near the Yamuna Bridge. A group of four to five men were hauling massive iron grills, weighing an estimated 500–700 kilograms, on their shoulders. Some grills lay scattered on the bridge’s ground, their jagged edges glinting under the dim streetlights. These weren’t just any grills—they appeared to be the protective fencing from the Yamuna Bridge itself, a vital piece of public infrastructure.
Suspicion gnawed at
Santosh. The men’s actions seemed far from legitimate. A short distance away,
in the shadows, another group sat quietly, seemingly aiding the operation. More
shockingly, two police officers, later identified as Head Constable Rahul and
Constable Lokendra from Shakarpur Police Station, were present at the scene.
Their role, however, wasn’t to stop the crime—it appeared they were
facilitating it.
A Bold Confrontation
Determined to uncover the truth, Santosh questioned the men. They claimed to be from the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and Public Works Department (PWD), asserting they had permission to remove the grills. Unconvinced, Santosh called an MCD engineer on the spot, who confirmed no such order existed. The men’s story was unraveling.
When Santosh pressed
further, the situation turned volatile. The group grew aggressive, surrounding
him with iron rods, sharp objects, and other weapons. One man, later identified
as Md. Asam, alias Azad, stepped forward, brandishing a country-made pistol. “I and my men are looting this
iron,” he declared brazenly. “I’m an informant for officers Lokendra and Rahul,
and I work with the Crime Branch. What’s it to you? Run, or your body won’t be
found.”
Fear gripped Santosh,
but he refused to back down entirely. Sensing immediate danger, he fled the
scene and, once safe, dialed the police helpline 112 at 10:25 PM.
The Police Arrive—But Whose Side Are
They On?
A PCR van arrived
swiftly, and with their help, Azad was apprehended on the spot, along
with 50–70 kilograms of the stolen iron grills. The other culprits vanished
into a nearby slum area. But the drama was far from over. Officers Rahul and
Lokendra, allegedly orchestrating the theft, arrived after a call from Azad.
They urged Santosh to let Azad go, claiming, “He’s our man.” When Santosh stood
his ground, the officers turned hostile, even attempting to turn the PCR team
against him.
The PCR officers, to
their credit, remained impartial. They escorted Azad and the recovered grills
to Shakarpur Police Station. But there, Santosh’s suspicions deepened. ASI Deep
Chand and Satish Kumar were
assigned to his complaint, yet Ct. Rahul
and Ct. Lokendra’s presence at the
station raised red flags. Santosh later learned that Azad and his
associates were allegedly
henchmen of these
officers, operating a network of thefts between Laxmi Nagar and
ITO under their protection.
A Case Transferred, A Fight for
Justice Stalled
Due to jurisdictional issues, the case was transferred to I.P. Estate Police Station. There, ASI Balbir Singh took Azad into custody and accompanied Santosh to inspect the crime scene. Citing safety concerns, Balbir Singh declined to pursue the remaining suspects in the slum area that night, promising action the next day. However, Santosh’s pursuit of justice hit roadblocks. When he requested a copy of the FIR, he was told it would be sent to his phone—but it never was. Follow-up calls were met with delays, excuses, and eventually, his number was blocked by the station.
Santosh’s complaint,
backed by General Diary entries from Shakarpur Police Station (Nos. 067A, 022A,
and 043A, dated January 12–15, 2023), corroborated the incident. Yet, the
wheels of justice seemed to grind to a halt, leaving Santosh to wonder if the
system was protecting the very criminals it was meant to apprehend.
A Citizen’s Resolve
Santosh Kumar Singh’s story is more than a tale of a single night’s chaos. It’s a testament to the courage of an ordinary citizen standing up to crime and alleged corruption. His affidavit, now before the Hon’ble Court in Delhi, seeks accountability for those involved—both the thieves and the officers allegedly shielding them. As the case moves forward, it raises critical questions: Will justice prevail, or will the shadows of that night on the Yamuna Bridge continue to loom large?
This article is based on
the affidavit of Santosh Kumar Singh, filed in the Hon’ble Court of LD MM (Central), THC,
District Court, Delhi, in Criminal Case No. 2277 of 2023.
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