Fauja Singh Death News: NRI Driver Amritpal Singh Held After SUV Kills 113-Year-Old Marathoner

In a key development in the Fauja Singh hit-and-run case, the police on Tuesday arrested Amritpal Singh Dhillon, a Non-Resident Indian (NRI), for allegedly driving the vehicle that fatally struck the 114-year-old marathon icon.

Amritpal Singh, who had recently returned from Canada, was arrested in his hometown Kartarpur. According to police sources, he was behind the wheel of the Toyota Fortuner that hit Fauja Singh in Punjab's Jalandhar district on Monday afternoon.

Driver Confesses to Police

During police questioning, Amritpal Singh confessed that he was returning home from Bhogpur after selling his phone when the SUV hit Fauja Singh, who was walking along the Jalandhar-Pathankot highway. He admitted to fleeing the scene out of fear.

The Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Jalandhar Rural, Harvinder Singh, confirmed that the vehicle was tracked using CCTV footage. Investigators identified the Fortuner through its Punjab registration number and headlight fragments found at the crash site.

"The left headlight, which was missing in the footage, matched the part found at the scene," SSP Harvinder Singh said. "We traced the vehicle and identified the suspect. Our teams have now arrested the driver and recovered the vehicle."

SUV Purchased Two Years Ago

Investigations revealed that Amritpal Singh had purchased the SUV from Ravindra Singh of Rurhampur two years earlier. The car had changed ownership multiple times before the accident.

An FIR was filed soon after the crash under BNS Section 281 (rash driving or riding on a public way) and Section 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder).

Fauja Singh Was 114 Years Old

The victim, Fauja Singh, known globally as one of the world's oldest marathon runners, was 114 years old at the time of the accident. He was walking near his home in his native village, about 400 metres from the crash site, when he was hit.

Eyewitnesses reported that the impact threw Singh 5 to 7 feet into the air, leading to critical injuries. He succumbed to those injuries later that evening.

Last Rites Pending

A family member confirmed to PTI that Fauja Singh's last rites will take place in a couple of days. The village is in mourning, and tributes have been pouring in for the athlete, who remained active well past the age of 100.