New Delhi, Sep 18 (IANS): Anmol Sarna, the 21-year-old non-resident Indian youth from the US who died of profuse bleeding after a drug episode in a south Delhi apartment last weekend, received no head injuries as reported, a witness said Wednesday.
Ajit Shahi, editor-at-large with Tehelka magazine, said the young man did not have any injuries on the head when he was driven away around 11.45 p.m. in a police van to hospital.
"He was quite tired, and there was some blood on his chest, probably after being beaten by the two security guards who were arrested by police in connection with the case. But there was no wound on his head or face," said Shahi, a resident of flat number 98, on the ground floor of the South Park Apartments in Kalkaji, south Delhi, where the brawl occurred.
"At the time, I didn't know the name of the poor chap. He was a tall guy, well-built. Early morning, I got to know about his death when a policeman came to my house. It is really shocking," Shahi said.
Shahi also questioned why the police van took 45 minutes to reach the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) from Kalkaji, which is just eight km from the hospital.
Anmol and four friends -- Shivank Gambhir, Madhav Bhandari, Pranil Shah and Rhythm Girhotra -- all in their early 20s and from well-to-do families, were partying at house number 95, which belongs to Shah.
Police Tuesday arrested two security guards, Surender Bali, 46, and Naresh Mishra, 60, and all the four friends in connection with Anmol's death.
Recalling the night of Sep 13, Shahi said that around 10.45 p.m., he heard a male voice screaming, but it went quiet in about 30 seconds. The screaming, however, started again a little later. Shahi said he thought it came from the lane behind his house.
"I came out of the house and found a young boy repeatedly shouting "chikki-madhav!". He was completely delirious," Shahi said.
"The society is a squarish plot with four gates. I called the security guards deployed at gate number 2, as gate number 1, which is near my house, is shut at night," he said.
"Bali and Mishra came in, and I also stepped out my house. As I reached near the boy, he attempted to slap me and ran, continuing to shout 'chikki-madhav!' again and again," Shahi said.
"The guards ran after him, and I ran after them. At that time, there was no blood on his body. He was sweating profusely, and appeared terrified. He suddenly stopped and turned, and gave one tight slap to Mishra, the older guy with white hair, now in police custody," Shahi said.
Shahi said others gathered, hearing the commotion. Mishra and Bali, carrying wooden batons, hit the boy. "He put his hand on his head and took the blows on his chest and back," Shahi said.
"The police, on the contrary, claim that he was hit on his head and had a deep gash. The gash never happened," Shahi said.
Shahi said the young man lay on the ground, abusing the guards. Then he stood, and all of them were frightened -- he ran towards gate number 1.
"He held the gate and started hitting his head against it. He lay down on the road and started padalling with his legs, and screaming away," Shahi said.
The others in house number 95 hid away, Shahi said.
"A security guard forced them (the others) to come out of the house. By the time, he (Anmol) started hitting cars parked outside. The other residents tried to stop him, and the host of the boys (father of Pranil) called up the police," Shahi said.