Delhi man dies after alleged assault in front of mother over Metro seat; ex-IAS officer, son held

New Delhi: A dispute over a seat reserved for senior citizens inside a Delhi Metro train allegedly turned fatal after a 48-year-old man was assaulted in front of his mother, who had accompanied him on the journey. A retired IAS officer and his son have been arrested in connection with the death, according to police.

The incident took place on October 8 at the Supreme Court Metro station. The deceased, Pawan Sharma, was travelling with his 65-year-old mother, Durga Sharma, from Gurugram to their home in Delhi's Yamuna Vihar when the confrontation occurred, according to the FIR.

The two accused have been identified as Sanjay Pratap Singh, 65, a retired IAS officer, and his 36-year-old son, Siddharth Singh. Both have been arrested and sent to jail.

What triggered the fatal Delhi Metro altercation?

According to the complaint filed by Durga Sharma, she and her son boarded a Metro train at Dwarka Sector 21 around 4 pm and occupied a seat reserved for senior citizens.

When the train reached the Supreme Court Metro station, two men boarded and spoke rudely to the mother and son, asking them to vacate their seats.

Pawan objected to the way the men addressed them but agreed to get up, the FIR states. He then reportedly made a remark to the older man, following which the latter grabbed him by the collar and slapped him.

When Pawan objected to being assaulted, the younger man allegedly caught him by the neck and repeatedly punched him in the chest, according to his mother's complaint.

Durga Sharma alleged that when she tried to intervene, the older man held her hands and prevented her from stopping the attack.
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Man collapses inside train, declared dead at hospital

Pawan suddenly collapsed inside the train and became unconscious, the complaint states. Passengers raised an alarm, following which Metro staff arrived and placed him on a stretcher. The two alleged assailants were taken off the train.

Pawan was taken by ambulance to Lok Nayak Jai Prakash (LNJP) Hospital, accompanied by his mother. Doctors declared him dead on arrival.

According to police records, the incident occurred between approximately 4.52 pm and 4.56 pm on October 8.

A medico-legal report recorded multiple small bruises on Pawan's right cheek, bruising on his chest near the neck and a minor abrasion on his right thumb. He was unconscious and unresponsive and was deemed unfit to make a statement.

The FIR was registered at the Supreme Court Metro Police Station on October 9, based on a complaint filed by his mother.
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What charges do the accused face?

Police registered the case under Sections 105 and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Section 105 deals with culpable homicide not amounting to murder, while Section 3(5) concerns acts carried out by multiple persons in furtherance of a common intention.

The police also initiated an inspection of the scene involving the crime team and the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL).

According to police sources, Sanjay Pratap Singh had previously been arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in an alleged bribery case. His son is a lawyer practising at the Supreme Court, the sources said.

The investigation into the circumstances surrounding the altercation and Pawan Sharma's death is continuing.