30-year-old cop dies while rescuing criminals after car plunges into canal in Uttar Pradesh

BIJNOR: A 30-year-old constable died while attempting to rescue suspects after a high-speed chase ended with the criminals' vehicle plunging into a canal near Bijnor city. Despite suffering a powerful electric shock upon entering the water, unknowingly electrified by live wires that had snapped during the crash, the constable managed to alert his colleagues to the danger, preventing further casualties, police said on Saturday. Officers said the suspects were celebrating the release of a friend from jail and were driving recklessly when they collided with a truck near Rashidpur Garhi village under the jurisdiction of Kotwali City police station. Alarmed villagers alerted the police when the group assaulted the truck driver and fired at him.Bijnor SP Abhishek Jha said, "A police response vehicle and local units responded immediately, initiating a high-octane chase. The suspects' vehicle sped along the Salmabad-Bharera road before crashing into a high-tension electric pole and plunging into a nearby canal, snapping the power wires that fell into the water." He added, "Constable Manoj Kumar and head constable Gangaram dove into the canal to arrest the suspects. They didn't know the water was electrified. The power supply was cut immediately, and the officers were pulled out and rushed to a hospital. Kumar, a native of Haiba village in Baghpat district, succumbed to his injuries while Gangaram remains hospitalised." Praising the constable's bravery, Jha said, "Manoj didn't just risk his life but also saved six of his fellow officers. Even while suffering shock, he managed to alert them. His final act was one of true bravery." Manoj joined the force in 2016. He is survived by his 28-year-old wife and their five-year-old son. On Saturday, officers from across the district gathered to honour him with a full police funeral. Meanwhile, police arrested one of the suspects, Neeraj Kumar — a history-sheeter with a prior attempt to murder charge — at the scene. Another accused, Veerbhan alias Veeru from Moradabad, was nabbed after a brief encounter. A country-made pistol, a live round and a spent cartridge were recovered from the spot. Two suspects are absconding, and legal proceedings are currently underway, officers said.