JALANDHAR, July 16 — Once just another young non-resident Indian home for a visit, 26-year-old Amritpal Singh Dhillon now stands accused in one of Punjab’s most tragic recent hit-and-run cases — the fatal crash that killed iconic 114-year-old marathoner Fauja Singh.
Dhillon, a Canadian national originally from Dasupur village in Kartarpur, Jalandhar district, was arrested Tuesday night after a sustained investigation led authorities to him. According to police, he was behind the wheel of a white Toyota Fortuner that struck Singh on the Jalandhar-Pathankot highway near the veteran athlete’s native village of Bias on Monday. Singh succumbed to his injuries that evening.
“Dhillon has confessed to being involved in the incident,” said Jalandhar Rural Senior Superintendent of Police Harvinder Singh Virk. “We have seized the vehicle used in the crash and matched broken parts recovered from the accident site with the SUV.”
At the time of the incident, Dhillon was reportedly driving from Bhogpur to Kishangarh. He had earlier sold his mobile phone in Bhogpur and was heading home when the crash occurred. Investigators believe the vehicle was speeding when it struck Singh, who was walking along the roadside.
According to India Today, Dhillon claimed he did not know the identity of the victim until news broke in the media. The SUV — a white Fortuner bearing registration PB 20C 7100 — had reportedly changed hands more than once. The vehicle was originally registered in the Balachaur RTO (Punjab-20) but the last known owner resided in the Kartarpur area.
The crucial breakthrough in the case came when investigators identified the vehicle from parts left behind at the scene — including a shattered headlight and a section of the front bumper. These were later matched with Dhillon’s SUV, leading to his arrest.
Dhillon remains in custody as further investigations continue. Police have not disclosed additional details about potential charges or legal proceedings.
