Headlight fragments, CCTV footage: How cops traced vehicle that knocked down Fauja Singh

“We took the case as a challenge and solved it within 30 hours,” SSP said, adding Dhillon was produced before a Jalandhar court, which remanded him to judicial custody for two weeks.

Dhillon was picked from his native Dasupur village in Kartarpur area of Jalandhar, the SSP said. “He had gone to Canada on a student visa but got a work permit there, which is valid till 2027. His three sisters and mother are in Canada while he came to Punjab on June 23–24. He bought the vehicle from a Kapurthala-based person. He holds a valid driver’s license,” the SSP said.

Fauja Singh, 114, died Monday evening, hours after being struck by the speeding vehicle. The incident took place while was crossing the Jalandhar-Pathankot highway to reach an eatery, named after his deceased son, at his native Beas village in Jalandhar.

Senior Superintendent of Police Harvinder Singh addresses a press conference regarding the death of Fauja Singh, in Jalandhar on Wednesday. (PTI Photo)

SSP Virk said multiple teams were formed and CCTV camera footage from various locations was examined. “Nearly 35 vehicles were found to have crossed the accident site around the time (3.08 pm) the incident occurred. Eyewitnesses said that Fauja Singh was thrown nearly 6-7 feet into the air upon impact. They could not clearly identify the vehicle but suspected it could have been a Toyota Innova or Fortuner,” the SSP said, adding fragments of the vehicle’s broken headlight was recovered from the scene.

“Our investigation led us to a Fortuner that matched the timeline. The fragments recovered from accident site matched the damage pattern on the SUV’s headlight,” the SSP added.

“In a CCTV footage, the registration number of the vehicle was readable, and we tracked that,” the SSP said, adding the vehicle’s registration number led police to Varinder Singh, a resident of Athouli village in Kapurthala. Upon questioning, Varinder revealed that he had sold the vehicle to Dhillon. Police then located Amritpal who, during interrogation, allegedly confessed to the hit-and-run.

Dhillon was speeding when he hit Fauja Singh. He was going towards Jalandhar, but after the accident, he returned home by driving through villages. The accused also told police that he had got one of the tyres of the car changed on the day of the incident.

“At that time, he was not aware of the identity of the man he had hit. He told us that he got scared (after the accident) and that is why he did not stop his vehicle there. It was his legal and moral responsibility to stop and take the victim to a hospital. He failed to do so,” SSP Virk added.

To a question, the SSP said the accused did not have any criminal case registered against him. “It is possible that since Indian cars are left-hand drive while in Canada it is right-hand, one could not get a grip on the driving (conditions) here,” he said, adding the accused was alone in the vehicle at the time of the accident.

A case has been registered against Dhillon under Sections 281 and 105 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the SSP said.

Fauja Singh’s son Harvinder Singh told reporters in Jalandhar on Wednesday that Dhillon could have stopped his SUV and immediately rushed the marathoner to a hospital. “Maybe that could have saved his life. Had he not fled, we would not have taken any action against him (the erring driver),” he said.

Born in 1911 into a family of farmers, Fauja’s tryst with marathons began when he was 89. Between 2000 and 2013, Fauja Singh completed nine full marathons.

Great-granddaughters recall bond

Even as tributes continue to pour in the marathoner, his 16-year-old granddaughter Japneet Kaur remembered the special bond she shared with her great-grandfather. “I used to teach Baba ji about several things. I used to read him from books and then ask him to repeat the same. He would sing for me, often making up funny songs on the spot,” said Japneet, a Class 11 student.

She also recalled filming several of his playful moments. “He would tease me, and when I showed him the videos, he would laugh like a child,” she said.

Japneet said Fauja Singh often demonstrated his pre-walk exercises in front of her. “He would say, ‘this is the exercise I do before every walk’. I once told him I’d take him to my school and ask the principal to appoint him as our PT teacher. He smiled and said, ‘I’d love to be one’”.

On Monday, Japneet had returned home from school around 2 pm and met her grandfather. “He left for his walk at 3 pm, and then came the heartbreaking news,” she added.

Her elder sister, Avneet Kaur, who is currently studying in Canada, recalled how she would video call her grandfather every other day. “His voice and energy never faded,” she said.