Noida: ADM's Gunner Among Two Arrested for Attempting to Murder Ex-soldier

Noida, Aug 19: Two persons were arrested today on charges of assaulting and attempting to murder a retired Army officer a few days ago in a park in Sector 29 here in a case in which an additional district magistrate (ADM), his wife and son are among those booked, police said.

They have been booked under the Indian Penal Code sections for the attempt to murder, criminal intimidation, criminal trespass and rioting in the case registered at the Sector 20 police station, officials said.

One of the ADM's gunners Rahul Nagar (28) and his household help Jitendra Awasthi (26) have been arrested, a police official said. "All necessary permissions were taken before arresting the government-appointed gunner of the ADM accused in the case," the official said.

The 76-year-old retired Colonel, Virendra Pratap Singh Chauhan, was arrested on August 14 on charges of molestation levelled by the ADM's wife on the day following a spat between the two sides over alleged illegal construction by the ADM's family.

The ADM's family lives on the third floor of a building, in which he lives on the ground floor, Chauhan, who served in the elite 1 Parachute Regiment (Special Forces), said.

"The ADM was getting some construction done to convert his car garage, near my house, into a guest house. It was illegal and not permitted by the Noida Authority. I had raised objection against it because it was also obstructing the passage, sunlight and air flow into my house," he said in the complaint, adding that had irked the family.

He claimed that the ADM has previously served in the Noida authority and used his influence to get his complaint overlooked. "On the morning of August 14, I was sitting in the park waiting for my taxi to go to the railway station from where he would go to Agra when the family arrived, they were accompanied by the ADM's gunners also. His wife started hurling abuses at me and soon all the men started punching me on the chest and kicked me.

"The woman soon called up the emergency police who arrived at the spot and arrested me on false charges of molestation made by her and under the ADM's pressure," Chauhan alleged in the complaint.

He was also booked on charges under section 3 (1) of the Scheduled Castes and Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act for hurling caste-based abuses on the woman, according to the police.

Yesterday, the footage of the closed-circuit television camera installed in the park emerged in which it was purportedly seen that Chauhan was being assaulted by the seven.

District Magistrate Brajesh Narayan Singh took note of the video and instructed the police to file an FIR against the ADM and others involved in the matter.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Ajay Pal Sharma said, "We have booked seven persons including the ADM for an attempt to murder and other relevant sections of assault. One person (a household help) has been arrested and we are currently interrogating him."

The SSP also ordered the immediate suspension of a sub-inspector of Sector 29 police post, holding him responsible for misbehaviour by policemen and lax in the probe.

Sector 20 police station's house officer Manoj Pant said Nagar was suspended following a departmental inquiry, which was initiated after the emergence of the CCTV footage that showed his involvement in the case."

"Nagar and Awasthi were in the process of being sent to judicial custody," Pant said.

Several Army veterans and the family of Chauhan had taken out a protest march in sector 29 last evening demanding the immediate release of the retired colonel from jail and arrest of the accused ADM. “We want strict action against the ADM and other accused,” said Indu Chauhan, wife of the retired colonel.