Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Surender Singh was mowed down by a dumper driver during a raid on Aravali Hills in Pachgaon area near Tauru in Nuh on Tuesday. He had gone there to check illegal mining.

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar assured that those found guilty in the killing of the DSP will be dealt with sternly.

Accompanied by two policemen, a driver and a gunman, the DSP, Tauru (Mewat), had gone to Nuh to investigate an incident of illegal mining in the morning.  Spotting a suspicious-looking dumper there, he signaled the driver to stop. But the driver, instead of applying brakes, in a bid to speed away from the spot, tried to run over the men present there.

While the gunman and others jumped away from the direction of the advancing vehicle to save their lives, the DSP came in its way and got a hit and sustained serious injuries. Soon, he was rushed to the hospital where the doctors declared him brought dead.

Singh was recruited as assistant-sub inspector in Haryana Police in 1994. He was currently posted as DSP, Tauru, and was to retire in four months. He was a native of Sarangpur village in Hisar and currently lived with his family in Kurukshetra.

Announcing an ex gratia of Rs 1 crore and a job to one of the family members of the deceased DSP, the CM said the state government is standing with the bereaved family in this hour of grief and strict.

He said Surender Singh was a brave officer whose services and commitment to duty will always be remembered.

Khattar said efforts are on to nab those behind the crime and assured the family that the culprits involved in the case won’t be spared at any cost.

A senior police official of the Nuh police said teams were conducting raids to nab the dumper driver while an FIR had been registered.

State Home Minister Anil Vij said strict actions will be taken against the accused. “I have given orders for strict action, no matter how much police force is required,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Leader of Opposition, Bhupinder Singh Hooda, called the incident shameful. “Mining mafia is going out of hand. Law and order situation is deteriorating. MLAs are being threatened, police are also not safe. How will the public feel safe? The government needs to act,” the Congress leader said.