LUCKNOW: Ironically, the cost of a truck driver’s life is less than paltry Rs 20 over which he lost his life by felling to the bullet of the security guard of a gravel mining firm in Hamirpur district of Bundelkhand in UP on early Thursday morning.
As per the police sources, the security guard at Bhulsi sand mine-3 under Sisolar police station area got into an argument with truck driver Arun Kumar, 22, of Gangaghat Unnao as he could pay only Rs 30 instead of Rs 50 as extortion money ('rangdaari') sought by the guard and shot him in his head.
Station house officer, Sisolar, Rakesh Kumar Pandey, claimed that the incident took place around 4 am on Thursday. “A group of security guards picked up a fight with the deceased driver as he could pay only Rs 30 as rangdari,” said SHO Pandey.
He claimed that the killer security guard, who shot the driver in his head, belonged to the firm -- Gyan Infrabuild Private Limited – owned by Satyendra Kumar Sharma of Varanasi. The firm has the licence for mining of sand and gravel in the area.
The local sources added that every driver had to shell out Rs 50 as extortion money at the time of leaving after getting his truck loaded with sand.
On getting the information, the district police detained the mine manager, pattedar along with four other employees for interrogation.
Later, based on the complaint of the deceased’s father, a case of murder under Section 302 of IPC and intimidation was lodged against the owner of the firm Satyendra Kumar Sharma, his manager, pattedar and four other employees.
However, following the incident, the authorities are now contemplating to cancel the mining licence of the firm Gyan Infrabuild Private Limited.
According to a police official, Arun Kumar had reached Bhulsi village to load his truck with gravel from the mine on Wednesday evening.
As the truck driver was returning from the mine, the mine security guard sought Rs 50 from him and he could shell out only Rs 30.
This led to a verbal dual between the guard and the truck driver and the infuriated security guard shot the drive point blank putting the rifle on his temple blowing his skull into smithereens.
This led to panic in the area. The employees of the sand mine and other truck drivers fled the spot.
Though the police have yet to find the name of the killer guard, SP Hemraj Meena said that a massive search operation was underway to nab the accused at the earliest.
The body of the deceased was sent for post mortem and investigation in the case is underway, said the SHO Sisolar.