Who is the Suspect Arrested in the Fauja Singh Hit-and-Run Case?

Jalandhar, July 16 (NationPress) The Punjab Police apprehended the individual believed to be behind the tragic hit-and-run that resulted in the death of 114-year-old marathon icon Fauja Singh on the Jalandhar-Pathankot highway.

The suspect, Amritpal Singh Dhillon, a 26-year-old non-resident Indian (NRI) from Kartarpur, Jalandhar, was taken into custody two days following the incident.

Dhillon, who has been residing in Canada with his family, had returned to India only a week prior to the accident.

Police have confirmed that Dhillon was driving a Toyota Fortuner (registration number PB 20 C 7100) during the tragic event, and the vehicle has been recovered.

Reports indicate that Dhillon admitted to the crime, stating he was the sole occupant of the vehicle, traveling from Bhogpur to Kishangarh when the incident took place.

Fauja Singh was attempting to cross the street near his home village in Punjab when he was struck by Dhillon’s speeding car, resulting in severe head injuries that ultimately led to his death.

The investigation made significant progress when authorities traced the Fortuner through CCTV footage from nearby cameras, leading them to Dhillon's village where he was arrested.

An FIR has been filed at the Adampur police station, and Dhillon has been charged under applicable sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

Fauja Singh, celebrated globally for his extraordinary strength and determination, continued to inspire countless individuals by competing in marathons well into his 100s. He began running later in life, completing over 100 marathons.

Born in the undivided Punjab in Beas Pind near Jalandhar on April 1, 1911, he took up running to cope with the grief following the tragic death of his fifth son in a construction accident in 1994.

Having moved to England in the 1990s, Fauja Singh began participating in international competitions at the age of 89, quickly making a name for himself and setting numerous records in the 90-plus age category.

In addition to marathons, he engaged in various long-distance running events in the Masters' category. At 100 years old, he achieved eight world age group records in a single day during the Ontario Masters Association Fauja Singh Invitational Meet held at Birchmount Stadium in Toronto, Canada.

His biography, titled 'Turbaned Tornado', was launched at the Attlee Room in Britain's House of Lords on July 7, 2011.

Fauja Singh was also a torchbearer for the London Olympics in 2012 and received the British Empire Medal (BEM) in the 2015 New Year Honours for his contributions to sports and charity.