More than seventy-two hours after a tragic incident claimed the lives of two young men near Army Public School in Noida's Sector 37, the local police are still searching for a black SUV. The vehicle is alleged to have deliberately rammed the victims' motorcycle following a dispute at an eatery on the night of December 30.
Allegations of Road Rage and a Fleeing Vehicle
The families of the deceased, identified as Basant Khasu and Rohan Mandal, both residents of Nithari, have rejected the possibility of a simple accident. They assert that the deaths were a direct result of road rage. According to their accounts, the two youths had a verbal altercation with occupants of a Mahindra Scorpio at a paratha shop in Sector 30. The SUV's occupants then allegedly chased their motorcycle and intentionally hit it before fleeing the scene.
A key witness, their friend Pushpendra, supports this version. He claims to have seen the crash and stated that the pursuing SUV did not have a number plate. "It was not a hit-and-run accident but a clear case of road rage," Pushpendra told reporters. He described seeing the SUV hit the bike, pause briefly, then make a U-turn and speed away into the dense fog, evading his attempt to follow.
Families Protest, Demand Murder Charges
Frustrated by the pace of the investigation, family members of the two men staged a protest near the District Magistrate's office in Sector 27 on Friday. They demanded swift action against the SUV driver. Basant's father, Hari Khasu, expressed significant grievances with the police procedure. He alleged that a detailed statement capturing the context of the eatery argument was not recorded initially.
"We want police to not treat this as a case of natural accident death, but a deliberate murder," Hari Khasu emphasized. He also mentioned that as Basant was originally from Nepal, it took time for his family to arrive, delaying his last rites which were finally performed on Friday evening. Rohan's last rites were conducted on December 31.
An FIR has been registered at the Sector 39 police station by Rohan's father, Rajkumar Mandal, against the unknown SUV driver.
Police Investigation and Conflicting Theories
While the families and an eyewitness point to foul play, the police are also examining another angle. Some local residents have suggested that the bike might have hit a divider due to speeding, leading to the fatal crash. Police officials confirmed they are looking into this aspect and may consider changing the charges based on evidence.
Currently, the investigation hinges on technical evidence. Five police teams have been formed to track down the vehicle. Authorities are scanning CCTV footage from cameras in the vicinity of Sectors 30, 37, and the route towards DPS. A senior officer acknowledged the challenge, stating, "The issue we are facing is that the SUV did not have a number plate. But our teams are working and we will get a breakthrough soon."
The victims were in the prime of their lives. Basant was a hotel management student at an institute in Film City, while Rohan worked on a contract basis with the fire department. Their deaths have left their families and community seeking answers and justice, as the hunt for the mysterious black SUV continues.
