HYDERABAD: A retired fireman died of cardiac arrest after he was allegedly pushed by a policeman during an altercation over playing loud music at a late-night marriage ceremony.
Police said they received a complaint at around 11.08 p.m. Monday night that loud music was being played at Raghava Nagar Colony in the Meerpet area of Hyderabad. Two policemen -- head constable Khaled and home guard Suresh -- reached the spot at 11.15 p.m. and tried to stop the music.
Retired fireman Satish Kumar (62), whose niece was the bride, intervened and asked the policemen to wait for 10 minutes after which they would stop the music. However, others in the family got into an argument with the head constable.
In the heat of the argument, home guard Suresh allegedly shoved Satish hard and the latter collapsed unconscious. He did not respond to CPR.
Fearing the family's ire, the policemen offered to take the elderly man to hospital in their police vehicle. But sources said they abandoned the vehicle half the way and fled, leaving the stricken man to be driven the rest of the way by a relative.
Satish was first taken to RK Hospital and then to Apollo DRDO Hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival.
Inspector C.H. Rangaswamy of the Meerpet police station denied that the elderly man was pushed or beaten. He said the home guard feared being beaten up. "A relative then drove Satish to the hospital, but it was too late by then,” the inspector said.
A case has been booked against the the constable and the home guard under Section 304A (causing death by negligence) based on a complaint lodged by the deceased man’s relatives, said the inspector. Also, a case under IPC section 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) was registered against some members of the marriage party, the inspector added.
Cases were also booked against some persons in the mob for hindering a government servant from performing his duties. A petty case was registered against the family for playing loud music past the mandated time.