Fauja Singh: Man arrested over hit-and-run death of world's 'oldest' marathon runner
Fauja Singh - believed to be the oldest in the world to complete a marathon - was hit by a car on Monday while crossing a road during a trip to his birth village of Beas Pind in Punjab, India.
He suffered severe head injuries and was taken to hospital where he later died.
Police investigating the incident have arrested a 26-year-old man for allegedly hitting him with a car, local media NDTV reported.
The accused, named by the outlet as Amritpal Singh Dhillon, said that he learnt about the death of Mr Singh through the news.
During a news conference, senior police officer Harvinder Singh Virk suggested the accused was speeding at the time of the collision.
His Toyota Fortuner was identified using CCTV footage and parts of the vehicle were allegedly found at the scene.
Singh had lived in Ilford in east London since 1992, and become an inspiration for countless athletes by running marathons beyond his 100th birthday.
His athletic achievements were made even more remarkable considering he suffered from thin and weak legs as a child - and couldn't walk until he was five years old.
Singh's maiden marathon in London was in 2000, with a time of six hours and 54 minutes - 58 minutes faster than other runners of a comparable age.
After serving as a torchbearer at the London 2012 Olympics aged 101, he retired.
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The Independent
4 hours ago
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Driven by guilt, remorse and haunting nightmares, he had returned after more than a decade to expose the 'horrific crimes' he allegedly witnessed during his time working at the temple. According to his testimony and redacted complaint seen by The Independent, the alleged rape, torture and murder of girls and women and the disposal of their remains occurred between 1995 and 2014. The whistleblower demanded exhumation of the hundreds of corpses he claimed to have buried and an investigation so that justice could be ensured for the victims 'who were denied dignity even in death'. His lawyer, KV Dhananjay, told The Independent this was an 'unprecedented' case where the witness had come forward not only with his testimony but also evidence, demanding accountability. 'Here is the individual who says that it is not the fear of law but the fear of conscience and fear for morality that has brought him back,' Dhananjay said. 'In the last 100 years of court judgments, you don't find a parallel.' 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The National Association for People Abused in Childhood (Napac) offers support for adults on 0808 801 0331.
The Sun
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BBC News
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