A 28-year-old Indian student from Kolkata was killed in a hit-and-run in Birmingham, UK, just days after completing her master's degree and reaching the final round of a job interview. Anisha Chakraborty, originally from Mukundapur, had been studying at Aston University and was excited about starting a new phase in her life.
The Incident
Anisha had gone out with friends to a pub on Friday night and was walking back to her accommodation alone when she was struck by a black Audi RSQ8 on Dartmouth Middleway just after 2 a.m. local time. She was only a short distance from home. West Midlands Ambulance Service received multiple 999 calls at 2:17 a.m., but Anisha was pronounced dead at the scene.
Investigation and Arrest
A 22-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and driving under the influence of drugs. He has been released on bail with conditions while the investigation continues, police told the Times of India on Wednesday.
Family's Grief
Anisha's father, Ramkrishna Prasad Chakraborty, a school principal in Kolkata, described the waiting for his daughter's body as torturous. "She was so excited about the job. She was looking forward to a new phase in her life," he said. "My wife hasn't spoken to anyone since getting the news."
Her brother Raktim, who lives in Arkansas, said he treated her like a daughter due to their 8-year age gap. "We had planned a video call during the weekend that never happened," he recalled. Anisha had chosen to study in the UK after researching universities, believing the master's would help her career.
GoFundMe Campaign
Anisha's boss at Jimmy Spices, a restaurant where she worked part-time, launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise funds for repatriating her body to Kolkata. As of late Wednesday, contributions totaled over £16,000 (approximately Rs 20.5 lakh).
Anisha's Journey
Anisha studied at Sakhawat Memorial Govt Girls' School and graduated from Gokhale Memorial Girls' College in Kolkata. She moved to the UK in September 2024 to pursue a master's in international business at Aston University, graduating with distinction in July 2025. She then began working at Jimmy Spices on Broad Street, later switching to a café job to focus on applying for full-time roles in marketing and content writing.
Shefali Karulkar, general manager at Jimmy Spices, described Anisha as "a lovely person, so positive and kind-hearted," who always had her laptop on, job-hunting between tasks.
