Delhi Police constable on patrol stabbed to death in Govindpuri, 2 arrested

Kiranpal Singh, 28, who was on night duty, was at the police booth near Arya Samaj mandir with constables Banai Singh and Sunil early on Saturday. He was winding up the shift around 4:30 am when he decided to do a final lap of patrolling. “Kiranpal went towards Gali No. 13,” said DCP (South East) Ravi Kumar.

Around 5 am, the constable noticed three men — Raghav aka Rocky (24), Krish and Deepak — roaming, police said. “Kiran asked them where they were coming from. He then searched Raghav, took his phone and started inspecting it. Krish and Deepak provoked Kiran, and he answered them back. The argument escalated and Raghav, who had a hidden knife, allegedly stabbed Kiranpal in his chest and kidney,” a police officer said.

Meanwhile, constable Sunil, who returned after delivering some papers to Govindpuri police station around 4:45 am, noticed that Kiran had still not come back, said DCP Kumar.

Police investigate the crime scene after the constable was stabbed to death on Saturday (Express)

Sunil then called him two-three times. But there was no response from Kiranpal, the police said. Sunil then set out looking for his colleague and found him in a pool of blood outside Gali No. 13 around 5:30 am. “Sunil rushed Kiranpal to the Majeedia hospital, Hamdard Nagar, where he was declared dead upon arrival,” DCP Kumar said.

Later, the police received information that one of the accused, Krish, was in the Govindpuri area. “A resident of Gali No. 6, Krish was arrested and confessed to his crime. He disclosed the name of his associates, Raghav and Deepak,” said DCP Kumar. In its official statement, police confirmed that Krish, a Class 12 student whose father works as a driver, is not a minor.

Later in the day, a Crime Branch team arrested Deepak after acting on a tip-off that he was hiding near the DDA flats in the area. “Upon seeing the police, Deepak fired three rounds at the officers. In response, two rounds were fired by the police, one of which hit his leg. He has been admitted to AIIMS and will be taken into custody after discharge,” said DCP (Crime Branch) Sanjay Kumar Sain.

During initial interrogation, Deepak claimed that he was not the one who stabbed Kiranpal, and that it was Raghav, an officer said. “Investigation is on to nab Raghav,” said DCP Kumar. A Class 10 dropout, Deepak is also a Govindpuri resident.

The congested Gali number 13, with the famed Hanuman Mandir at its entrance, is fraught with people and shops. However, after 8 pm, when most of the devotees have headed back and almost all eateries are shut, drunkards roaming around in groups is a common sight, shopkeepers say.

Kiranpal, who belongs to Bulandshahr in Uttar Pradesh, was with the Security Unit of Delhi Police from 2019 after completing basic training at Police Training College. Thereafter, he remained posted in Delhi Armed Police 4th Battalion until October, 2021. He then served in Southwest district until February when he joined Southeast district and was posted in Govindpuri police station.

On January 4, Assistant Sub-Inspector Shambhu Dayal was stabbed to death after he confronted a snatcher in west Mayapuri area. On September 29, constable Sandeep was dragged to death by two men in a car, when he stopped them from drinking alcohol in a public place in outer Delhi’s Nangloi.

‘He overcame struggles through sheer hard work’: Family mourns

Heart-wrenching scenes unfolded as constable Kiranpal’s mother entered the Govindpuri police station Saturday. “They’ve destroyed my family, they’ve ruined my son,” she howled and pleaded to no one and everyone in vain. It has been only hours after her 28-year-old son Kiranpal was stabbed to death allegedly by three people while he was on night patrolling duty in the early hours of Saturday.

Family members remember the young constable as a “hard-working and well-behaved boy” from a village in Uttar Pradesh’s Bulandshahr who landed a government job in the Capital through sheer determination.

“He was very intelligent and loved reading books. Otherwise, how could he pass the police exam in an attempt? Monu (Kiranpal) wanted to join the Army but got injured during his physicals,” said Kiranpal’s elder brother Sonu (30).

Distraught family members of Kiranpal. (Express)

The loss has left Sonu worried about the future. “I lost my job a few months back… We were quite happy that my brother has a government job… He supported the entire family. We’d bought a flat in Ghaziabad this summer… I don’t know how we’ll pay back the loan,” he said as he soothed his toddler in his lap.

The siblings did not have an easy childhood. They lost their father when Kiran was three months old, a family member said. Their maternal uncle took care of the boys, along with his children. “Bohot sushil ladka tha (He was a very well-behaved boy). We never had complaints against him. When he got the police job, he told me he’s taking over his family’s responsibility from me… I worked very hard to raise the boys. I was proud to see Monu grow up into a hardworking and honest man,” said Kalicharan (67), the uncle.

“From a young age, he loved to study,” said his primary school teacher, Prempal Singh (48).

Kiranpal’s cousin agreed. “I still remember holding his hand and taking him to our school in the village everyday. He came and lived with me for two years after he got in the police. He’s seen no lack of struggles in his life, but has overcome all of them through sheer hard work,” said Tejpal Singh (35) wiping his tears.

Amarpal Singh, another maternal uncle, couldn’t stop sobbing as he remembered meeting him Friday, hours before he was killed. “He’d come by because he was in the area. We had tea and talked a bit before he told me he had to leave for the thana for night duty. He died just a few hours later,” Amarpal covered his mouth as he wept.

The South East district police arranged a final salute for the constable Saturday evening after which his body was taken to his village for the last rites.