AGRA: In what is suspected to be a deliberate attempt to kill senior officials of commercial tax department in Mathura, a canter truck rammed into a personal vehicle of a joint commissioner while he was checking a vehicle on a special input of transportation of “silver” without paying GST, with his mobile squad team near milestone 60 on Yamuna Expressway in Mathura’s Naujheel area on intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday.
While a commercial tax officer Virendra Singh and a constable Kishore Kumar Shukla were killed, joint commissioner Special investigation branch (SIB) Manoj Tripathi, assistant commissioner Vinay Gupta, driver Vijay Kumar, peon Vinod Kumar sustained grievous injuries.
Helper of the pick up vehicle, which was being checked by the officials, Anil Rawat, was also rushed to the hospital.
However, the truck driver fled from the spot.
Mathura District Magistrate Navneet Singh Chahal told TOI that Tripathi was admitted at Noida’s Fortis hospital and his condition was stated to be critical while other three from the department were stated to be stable and admitted at Kailash hospital.
Vinod Kumar’s need to undergo surgery due to a fracture in his legs.
“I am in constant touch with the Noida DM.
Sub-Divisional Magistrate Maant and Circle officer have also visited the hospital in Noida to meet the family members of the victims,” he said.
Additional Commissioner of Commercial Tax department, Vinay Asthana told TOI that joint commissioner Tripathi had some information about transportation of silver consignment from Agra to Delhi with GST evasion.
“They parked the vehicles on the side of the expressway and a truck rammed into the personal vehicle (Duster) of the joint commissioner, when they were standing ahead of the vehicle for checking the papers,” he said, adding that they are suspicious of hitting his vehicle in a bid to kill them.
Mathura SSP Guarav Grover said that the FIR will be registered on the basis of a complaint provided by the department.
“We will probe all the angles,” he said.
Inspector General of Agra range Naveen Arora also reached Naujheel police station to inquire about the incident.
He told TOI that the matter will be investigated in detail.
The FIR was not registered till the filing of this report.