Chemical spill on road: Truck driver arrested

New Delhi: Police on Friday arrested the 45-year-old driver of a truck, from which chemical substance spilled on the road leading to the death of three people in Delhi earlier this week, officials said. The accused has been identified as Mahender Bhil, a resident of Rajasthan, they said.

The chemical, suspected to be phenol, that leaked from the truck near Mori Gate here led to the death of Monu Sharma (22), Mahesh Chand (23) and Shivam (21). The truck was on its way to Jagadri in Haryana to deliver the chemical at a plywood factory but had stopped in Delhi for another delivery. The chemical was being transported from Gujarat.

The truck entered Delhi to deliver clothes to a client and during that time, there was a leakage in the container with the chemical. During preliminary interrogation, Bhil said he did not know about the leakage of the chemical in the Mori Gate area. Later, he got to know that the chemical was spilling on road due to the leak.

He then unloaded the chemical in a godown in the Shahbad Dairy area and took his truck to Rajasthan, a senior police officer said. On Wednesday, police traced the truck to Rajasthan's Barmer and found the driver. Bhil has been sent to judicial custody by a court, they said.