Delhi Metro Seat Dispute Turns Deadly: Former IAS Officer and Son Arrested for Killing 48-Year-Old Passenger

A DISPUTE OVER A RESERVED SEAT in the Delhi Metro ended with a man losing his life. The incident happened on October 8, 2026, when a former IAS officer and his son, who is a lawyer, allegedly assaulted a 48-year-old man on the metro. After the altercation, the victim collapsed at the Supreme Court Metro station. He was later declared dead on arrival at Lok Nayak Jai Prakash (LNJP) Hospital.

The deceased, Pawan Sharma, was a clerk at a private firm and was travelling with his mother. They were returning home to Yamuna Vihar from Gurugram after meeting his younger brother. The dispute was over a seat reserved for senior citizens in the Delhi Metro. The accused, a former IAS officer and his son, have been arrested by the police.

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Delhi Metro Seat Dispute Leads to Passenger's Death

The accused are Sanjay Pratap Singh, a 65-year-old former IAS officer, and his 36-year-old son, Sidharth Singh. Both live in Gautam Budh Nagar, Noida, Uttar Pradesh. The father-son duo boarded the train at Mandi House Metro station, where the victim and his mother were sitting in the seats reserved for senior citizens. A dispute then broke out between Sharma and the two accused over the seat.

Pawan Sharma was allegedly slapped and pushed by the two accused, leading to a physical altercation. When the train reached Supreme Court Metro station, the situation escalated, and Sharma reportedly lost consciousness. He fell on the metro platform and was immediately taken to LNJP Hospital by metro staff, along with his mother. He was declared dead on arrival.

The police were informed about the incident, but Pawan had already died before they reached the hospital. According to the police, they received information around 5:47 pm that a person had fallen unconscious on the metro platform. The officers then recorded his mother's statement and filed a complaint against the accused on October 9, 2026.

The Indian Express quoted the FIR registered in the case, in which Durga Devi, Pawan's mother, said, “At the Supreme Court Metro station, two men, one of them a bit old, boarded the train and asked my son rudely to vacate the senior citizen seat. My son said that he would vacate it, and that they should be polite. After that, he got up.”

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She further said that Pawan passed a comment about the men asking him to lie down on the seat. Following this, Sanjay allegedly slapped Pawan, while his son repeatedly punched him in the chest. Devi said she tried to stop him, but Sanjay held her hand. Pawan then fainted at the Supreme Court Metro station as they got off the train.

Former IAS Officer Sanjay Pratap Singh and His Son Arrested

The case was registered against the father-son duo under Section 105 (culpable homicide) and Section 3(5) (common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). They were arrested by the police and are in judicial custody for 14 days. The police said, “During the course of investigation, the involvement of the two accused came under scrutiny. On the basis of evidence, both accused were arrested in connection with the case.”

Sanjay Pratap Singh is a former IAS officer of the 1984 batch and has previously been arrested. In December 2015, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested him in a bribery case in which he was accused of demanding and accepting a bribe of ₹2.2 lakh. According to the police, his son is also a lawyer practising in the Supreme Court. The police are investigating the Delhi Metro seat dispute and examining statements and the circumstances surrounding the incident. Further investigation is underway.

(Edited by Harsh Pandey)

[Rh/VP/HP]

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