No Mention of Harassment In UP Police Case On US Scholar's Death

The news of the death of a 19-year-old woman from Uttar Pradesh made headlines on Monday. She died after an accident reportedly from being chased by two men on a bike. 

However, even as the FIR registered by her father demanded the two stalkers be booked, NDTV reports that the Uttar Pradesh police has made not mention of this in the case it has registered in the woman’s death.  

Sudeeksha Bhati was a topper from Bulandshahr and was studying in Massachusetts’s Babson College with full scholarship. 

The NDTV report said that the FIR was filed under Sections 279 and 304-A of the Indian Penal Code that relate to rash driving and causing death by negligence. 

Neither of these put responsibility on the men who were chasing Bhati on a motorcycle. 

Bhati, the daughter of a tea seller, was supposed to return to the US on August 20. She was said to be on her way to meet her grandmother and was riding pillion. 

Her uncle Satyender Bhati told The Indian Express , “We had crossed Bulandshahr and were on the highway when the two men started following us. When we reached an empty stretch, they cut into our path, and hit the brakes. I braked, too. And Sudeeksha, who was sitting behind, fell off the bike and hit her head on the road.” 

However, NDTV reported district magistrate Ravindra Kumar as saying that she was riding the bike with her cousin who was a minor and there was no evidence of harassment. 

Her father in the FIR has said that she was riding pillion with her uncle. 

PTI reported additional Superintendent of Police (City) Atul Kumar Srivastava as saying there was traffic on the route when the accident happened.

“A Bullet (a Royal Enfield motorcycle) which was moving ahead of them suddenly stopped due to braking, and the two-wheeler of Sudiksha Bhati and her brother rammed into it from behind.”

“She suffered injuries in the crash and was taken to a community health centre but she died,” he said.

Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police HC Awasthy said, “There is definitely an accident. People will be questioned during probe, and the investigation will proceed according to what comes to light.”

“A motorcycle was going ahead, and accident happened after its brakes were applied. After the motorcycles collided, the girl fell down and got injured. She was taken to a hospital, where unfortunately she died, he said.

An eyewitness to the incident told The Indian Express, “There was a Bullet that was moving ahead, which stopped suddenly. The person riding the bike behind had to hit the brake. Due to the impact, the girl fell on the road,” said an eyewitness, who did not wish to be identified.” 

(With PTI inputs)