In a shocking incident of alleged road rage, two young men lost their lives in Noida after being chased and rammed by a black SUV late on December 30. The victims, identified as Basant Khasu (23) and Rohan Mandal (27), were flung into roadside railings near the Army Public School with such force that their bike got entangled in the grille.
From Eatery Argument to Fatal Chase
According to a friend, Pushpendra, who witnessed part of the incident, the tragedy began with an altercation at a roadside eatery in Sector 30. The duo had stopped for parathas around 11:40 PM while returning from a birthday party. An argument ensued with another customer at the location.
"It was not a hit-and-run accident but a clear case of road rage," Pushpendra told TOI. After the argument, Basant and Rohan left the eatery. Pushpendra and another friend, Vikas, went looking for them after a concerning phone call.
Pushpendra later spotted them near Dent Star, riding their bike at high speed with a black SUV, suspected to be a Scorpio N, in close pursuit. He believes the argument had escalated into a dangerous chase.
A Foggy Night and a Deadly Impact
The chase culminated near Army Public School on a night of dense fog. Pushpendra recounted the horrifying moment: "I saw the SUV hit their bike. The SUV did not have a number plate. It stopped for a few seconds, then took a U-turn and sped away."
The impact was catastrophic. The friends were thrown into the metal railings next to the school. Police and the friend's account suggest the collision was so severe that the victims likely died on the spot, with no opportunity to move or survive. Rohan's autopsy confirmed ante-mortem head injuries.
Pushpendra tried to chase the fleeing vehicle but lost it in the poor visibility. The absence of a license plate on the SUV has become a critical hurdle in the investigation.
Families Demand Justice, Police Launch Manhunt
The families of the deceased are devastated and demanding justice, rejecting the initial police theory of a simple accident. Basant's mother, Sonam, revealed that her son had called his brother Dheeraj for help around 11:30 PM, saying Rohan had gotten into a fight.
"They hit both the kids badly. We need justice. My son had so many plans for his life," a grieving Sonam said. Basant was a third-year hotel management student in Film City, aspiring to be a chef. His father, Hari, who flew in from Kenya, lamented, "We live in a high-tech city like Noida, but even after 48 hours, police have not been able to find the culprits."
Rohan worked on a contract basis with the fire department. Both lived in Nithari.
Noida Police have now registered an FIR under relevant Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections for rash driving and causing death due to negligence. A senior officer confirmed that five special teams have been formed to track down the SUV. Investigators are scanning CCTV footage from the area, though the lack of a number plate complicates the search.
Basant's brother, Dheeraj, echoed the family's conviction: "I believe the men in the SUV were the same people with whom my brother and his friend had an altercation. It's a clear case of murder." The police, after initial assessment, have reportedly agreed that the evidence does not point to a mere accident.
