There has been talk of why the three accused brothers were being ferried to a sub divisional magistrate’s court in a share auto rather than a police vehicle.

It is also learnt the auto was owned by a relative of the brothers.

In the police’s defence, Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) Inder Singh Saini told Newsline: “Usually, those charged with a crime are put on police vehicles. But in this case, a private vehicle was used because the men had not been arrested formally but were picked up under preventive detention.”

But police sources told a different story.

They said the department does not have enough police vehicles. This results in accused men being taken from police stations in far-flung areas to courts in autorickshaws.

Often, the police makes the accused pay the fare, they added.

In this case, a dispute over property owned by the accused’s family came to a boil on Sunday afternoon, promting a relative Ram Bhan to call in the police.

As a preventive measure, the police picked up brothers Suraj, Mahender and Vikram Bhan. They were being accompanied to magistrate J S Sanghwan by Head Constable Jagbir Singh on Monday afternoon.

Near the Hero Honda Chowk, the auto overturned because of a burst tire.

One of the brothers, Suraj, was flung out of the auto and died instantly when he came under its weight.

The other two sustained minor injuries. Jagbir Singh was severely injured and is under observation at the Gurgaon Civil Hospital.

Following the incident, magistrate J S Sanghwan has ordered a judicial inquiry, DCP Saini said.