In a shocking incident of road rage that turned violent, two British Airways employees were brutally assaulted and their driver was stabbed in the stomach near Old Chowk in Faridabad. The attack occurred in the early hours of January 2, leading to the arrest of four daily wage workers allegedly involved in the crime.
The Midnight Attack Near Old Chowk
Sidhant Acharya (29), a customer relations manager with British Airways and a resident of Sector 31, was returning home from work in Noida with his colleague, Riyan Taneja. They were traveling in a company-owned Maruti Ertiga, driven by Amresh. As they crossed Old Chowk, the trio decided to stop at a roadside tea stall for a quick break.
While they were sipping tea beside their vehicle, two youths on a motorcycle sped past them. The bike came so close that one of its tyres ran over Riyan Taneja's foot. An alarmed Sidhant shouted at the bikers, asking them to drive more carefully. This simple act of caution triggered a violent confrontation.
Escalation of Violence and Stabbing
The two bikers stopped ahead, turned back, and confronted the three men. They began hurling abuses, which quickly escalated into a physical assault on Sidhant. When Riyan and driver Amresh tried to intervene and stop the scuffle, the attackers called out to their associates, who were waiting on another motorcycle a short distance away.
All four assailants then ganged up on the victims. They pinned them to the ground and rained kicks and punches on them. Police reports state that the attackers claimed dominance over the area and issued death threats, warning the victims that anyone who challenged them would be killed.
As the violence intensified, one of the attackers pulled out a knife and stabbed driver Amresh in the stomach and waist. Amresh suffered two deep stab wounds from the attack. As a crowd began to gather at the scene, the four assailants fled on their motorcycles, threatening the victims once more before disappearing into the night.
Aftermath and Police Action
The injured driver, Amresh, was initially taken to a private hospital in Faridabad but was later referred to the AIIMS Trauma Centre in New Delhi for advanced treatment due to the severity of his injuries. Sidhant Acharya sustained minor injuries and was discharged after receiving first aid.
Following the incident, Sidhant lodged a formal complaint at the Sector 17 police station. Based on his statement, the police registered a case under serious sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including attempt to murder, voluntarily causing hurt, and criminal intimidation, along with Section 25 of the Arms Act.
On Tuesday, a crime branch team arrested the four accused, identified as Arun, Gaurav, Sumit, and Vipin, all residents of Daulatabad village. Police confirmed that it was Vipin who stabbed Amresh during the assault. Vipin was produced before a court and remanded to police custody, while the other three accused were sent to judicial custody.
A police officer involved in the investigation noted that the violence erupted over a minor issue and that no previous criminal charges were found against the assailants. The officer confirmed that all the accused are daily wagers.
