In a tragic turn of events, 114-year-old Fauja Singh, globally celebrated as the world’s oldest marathon runner, was killed in a hit-and-run incident in Punjab’s Jalandhar district. Police sources confirmed on Wednesday that the SUV driver, identified as 26-year-old Amritpal Singh Dhillon of Dasupur in Kartarpur, has been arrested. His vehicle has also been seized.
The fatal incident occurred on Monday as Dhillon was traveling from Bhogpur to Kishahgarh and struck Singh near his native Bias village. Eyewitnesses reported that the impact of the collision was so severe that Singh was thrown 5 to 7 feet into the air.
Singh succumbed to his injuries later that evening, sending shockwaves across the sporting and Punjabi communities that revered him for his unparalleled spirit and endurance.
An FIR has been registered against Dhillon under sections 281 (rash driving on a public way) and 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Police continue to investigate the circumstances of the collision.
Fauja Singh, known for his marathon feats well past the age of 100, had become a global symbol of perseverance and vitality. His death marks not just the loss of an athlete, but of an inspiration.
