Uttar Pradesh: 20-year-old woman, studying in US, dies in road accident after alleged harassment

A 20-year-old woman died after her two-wheeler met with an accident in Bulandshahr district of Uttar Pradesh on Monday, reported NDTV. The woman’s family members have alleged that the accident took place because two boys, on a separate motorbike, were verbally harassing her.

Sudiksha Bhati was going to a relative’s house in Aurangabad with her uncle when the accident took place. “The girl was going to a relative’s place with her uncle on a bike when she met with an accident and died on the spot,” said Bulandshahr (city) Superintendent of Police Atul Kumar Srivastava. “The bike she was riding pillion, collided with a bullet motorcycle. A case has been registered in this regard and hunt is on for the owner of the motorcycle that collided with the bike of Sudiksha’s uncle.”

The police, however, denied the harassment allegations. “At that time when the accident happened, the relative or any eyewitness had not spoken about any harassment,” said Shrivastava. The police also uploaded a video of a boy, supposed to be Bhati’s cousin, who recounted the moments before the accident. However, the boy did not talk about the alleged harassment.

But Satendra Bhati, the woman’s uncle who was riding the bike, said two boys on a “Bullet bike” overtook them several times and started performing stunts. “Suddenly, he overtook us and applied the brakes, due to which our bike lost control and we met with an accident,” he told News18. “My niece suffered head injuries and collapsed on the spot.”

Another family member Omkar Bhati said there were two men on the other bike. “They were passing comments on her and were driving recklessly,” he added.

Hailing from Greater Noida’s Dadri area, Bhati was pursuing her higher studies in the United States. Bhati, who was a district topper in her Class 12 board exams in 2018, was to return to Babson College in Massachusetts on August 20.

The Opposition lashed out at the Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled state government over the law and order situation in the state.

“A topper student, was chased by eve-teasers and then she died in the accident, this proves that there is no law and order in the state,” said Congress spokesperson Surendra Rajput. “The police are being beaten up by criminals and BJP members, the government has failed in implementing law and order. The chief minister should take cognisance of the issue and must ensure strict action against the culprits.”

The Samajwadi Party alleged “failed governance” for the incident. “The UP government has failed and is only busy in doing politics of religion and caste,” party spokesperson Anurag Bhadauria said. “The government was making tall claims about law and order in the state but all those claims have fallen face-first today. There is no fear of police in the criminals today all because of the failed governance by the state government.”

Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati demanded strict action against the culprits. “The promising student Sudiksha Bhati, who was going on a bike with her uncle in Bulandshahr, lost her life due to the eve-teasers, which is extremely sad and condemnable,” she tweeted. “How will daughters progress? UP government should take strict legal action against the culprits immediately, this is a strong demand of BSP,” the BSP chief tweeted.