Three Arrested After Bootlegging Truck Crushes Madhya Pradesh Cop to Death

UPDATE - follow-up to Cop killed in hit-and-run: MP police widen probe to Gujarat in search of absconding driver: Three people have been arrested in connection with the death of a Madhya Pradesh police station in-charge who was run over by an illicit liquor truck. Khategaon Station House Officer Dilip Puri died and a constable was injured on Monday after trying to stop a truck carrying 1,800 litres of illegal liquor on the Indore-Betul Highway. The truck driver, Gajendra alias Akku Rawat, remains absconding, prompting police to send teams to Gujarat and several Madhya Pradesh districts including Alirajpur, Dhar, Jhabua, Dewas, and Indore.

Arrests and Suspensions

Those arrested include Rahul Jaiswal, who allegedly managed the smuggling ring from Timarni in Harda district, along with Keram Singh Changod, who provided the truck, and Vijay Rao, who worked for Jaiswal. Authorities have announced a reward of 10,000 rupees for information leading to each fugitive. Following the incident, officials suspended the licences of three Harda district liquor shops linked to Patendra Jaiswal, alongside suspending an assistant district excise officer and two constables.

Context

Smugglers often transport illegal alcohol into the dry state of Gujarat from western Madhya Pradesh by hiding cartons inside secret vehicle compartments or ordinary goods like animal feed and grain. Investigators are now gathering scientific evidence to dismantle the entire interstate smuggling network and locate the driver.