The Delhi Police on Friday arrested the 45-year-old truck driver from which some chemical substance spilled on the road lead to the death of three people in Delhi earlier this week.

The accused has been identified as Mahender Bhil, a resident of Rajasthan. Police said that on Wednesday, a police team tasked with the investigation tracked the truck in Rajasthan’s Barmer and arrested the driver.

According to a senior police official, the chemical, suspected to be phenol, that leaked from a truck on the road near Mori Gate here on November 23 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 industry there, but had a stoppage in Delhi for another delivery. The chemical was being transported from Gujarat,” said the senior police official.

“The truck had entered Delhi on November 23 to deliver clothes to a client here and during that time, there was a leakage in the container with the chemical, which fell on the road and the driver later left for Rajasthan,” said the senior police official.

“During preliminary interrogation, Bhil said he did not know about the leakage of the chemical at Mori Gate area. Later, when he got to know that the chemical was leaking, he took his truck to Rajasthan after unloading the chemical in a godown in Shahbad Dairy area,” said the police official privy to investigation.

“During interrogation, the accused told police that he checked the leaking chemical with his finger, but nothing had happened to him.

Further interrogation is going on. Bhil has been sent to judicial custody,” said the police official.