The Delhi Police on Tuesday announced a cash reward to the five cops who handled the attack on the police van carrying Aaftab Poonawala – the accused killer of Shraddha Walkar – after the polygraph test outside the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) in the national capital.
Delhi Police Commissioner Sanjay Arora awarded ₹10,000 each to the two sub-inspectors, ₹5,000 each to the two head constables and a constable for the “tactful handling” of the situation and the accused’s “safe transportation”, reported news agency PTI.
He visited Vikaspuri Police Line office of the 3rd Battalion of Delhi Armed Police earlier in the day to meet them and appreciated their presence of mind at the time of the attack.
Poonawala, who is under trial for the gruesome murder of his live-in partner Shraddha, was attacked by a few sword-wielding men while being escorted from the Forensic Science Laboratory in Rohini to Tihar jail last evening.
The men were found to be a part of a fringe right-wing Hindu outfit. A video doing rounds on social media captured the incident as it happened. A policeman was seen stepping out of the van to control the situation, telling the vigilantes to step back as he waved his service revolver.
After a few more minutes of confusion – with media persons recording the entire episode – the prison van manages to leave the spot.
Read: Moment when sword-wielding men attacked police van with Aaftab Poonawala | VIDEO
Deputy commissioner of police (3rd Battalion) Dhal Singh told PTI that the area around FSL was inspected by the escort team as well as by local police before taking Poonawala into the van and that there were no suspicious movements of persons.
“While, the jail van moved from FSL Rohini office and crossed the gate, suddenly a group of people attacked the jail van with swords in their hands but the Command of 3rd Bn DAP displayed the exemplary presence of mind and swiftly moved the jail van from the place so as to avoid any harm to the UTP and the escorting staff,” he said.
Singh lauded the escorting team, saying they averted a major tragedy and safely brought the undertrial to the Central Jail in Tihar.
