Delhi Metro seat dispute: 48-year-old man dies; former IAS officer, son arrested

A 48-year-old man died after an alleged assault over a senior-citizen reserved seat aboard a Delhi Metro train. Police arrested former IAS officer Sanjay Pratap Singh and his son, lawyer Sidharth Singh, and registered a culpable homicide case

New Delhi: A 48-year-old man died after he was allegedly assaulted during a dispute over a seat reserved for senior citizens inside a Delhi Metro train, police said. A former IAS officer and his son have been arrested in connection with the incident.

The incident occurred on October 8 at the Supreme Court Metro station, where Pawan Sharma, the deceased, allegedly got into an argument with the two accused, identified as Sanjay Pratap Singh and his son, Sidharth Singh, according to the FIR. Police sources said both men were arrested after a case was registered.

---

According to the complaint, the disagreement began over a seat reserved for senior citizens. During the confrontation, Sharma was allegedly slapped and pushed, causing him to fall and suffer head injuries. Metro staff arranged for an ambulance to transport Sharma to Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Hospital. However, doctors declared him dead upon arrival, the FIR stated. The case was registered on October 9 following a complaint lodged by Sharma’s mother, Durga Sharma.

The FIR invokes Sections 105, pertaining to culpable homicide not amounting to murder, and 3(5), relating to common intention, of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

According to police sources, Sanjay Pratap Singh is a former Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer who was previously arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with an alleged bribery case. His son, Sidharth Singh, is a lawyer practising at the Supreme Court, the sources said.

Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the altercation and the events that led to Sharma’s death. Officials have not yet provided details of the medical findings establishing the cause of death or disclosed the precise nature of the injuries he sustained.

A Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) official said both individuals involved in the incident were removed from the train after the matter came to light. “As soon as the incident was reported, both were deboarded. The injured one was sent immediately to the hospital, whereas the other one was handed over to the police,” the official said.