Sudeeksha Bhati, the woman who died, had topped Bulandshahr district two years ago
Two days after a 20-year-old woman died in a road accident in Uttar Pradesh after allegedly being chased and harassed, the police have claimed that the facts have been distorted by her family. "No evidence of harassment" has been found in the death of Sudeeksha Bhati as claimed by the family, a police officer said, alleging a "twist" because those linked to the woman "thought of insurance money".
Amid widespread anger over the death of Sudeeksha Bhati on Monday morning, a First Information Report (FIR) was filed on Tuesday night, about 36 hours later.
The family alleges that the accident took place because two men on a bike chased Sudeeksha, who was on a separate motorcycle with her uncle and cousin, and tried to harass her. The men allegedly blocked the bike, forcing it to stop abruptly, and Sudeeksha fell. The family claims she died of her injuries.
She had topped Bulandshahr district two years ago in her Class 12 exams with 98 per cent marks and was studying in the US after scoring full scholarship at the prestigious Babson College in Massachusetts. The tragedy of the young woman from Bulandshahr who overcame all odds to study in an American university touched many on social media. She was one of the few girls in her village who had gone to school.
The police, investigating the incident, insist there are discrepancies in the story. They say Sudeeksha's minor cousin was driving the bike, not her uncle.
"The matter has been given a twist by people. The woman was on a huge scholarship and people thought of insurance money. The boy who was riding the bike has just passed the high school; he is probably a minor," police officer Santosh Kumar Singh said today.
The CCTV footage, which shows two men in red t-shirts on a bike, is being probed.
"At the time of the incident, Sudeeksha's uncle - Satendra Bhati - was in Dadri, according to his mobile location. He reached the accident site about two hours later - at 10:49 AM. We have charted out the whole route he took to reaching the accident site," he said.
"A story has been created to blame the police. When a lie is repeated 50 times, it becomes convincing - just like the truth. In the probe so far, we have not been able to find any evidence of harassment," Mr Singh said.
Sources in the UP police also said the FIR filed on a complaint by Sudeeksha's father refers to rash driving and death by negligence but makes no mention of the alleged harassment she faced moments before her death.
The two men can be seen in a CCTV footage, which the police on Tuesday said was also being investigated. Over 15 bike owners have been questioned in the death so far.
In his complaint, Brahma Singh Bhati, Sudeeksha's father, wrote: "My daughter was very talented. I am completely shattered. I appeal to you that strictest punishment should be taken against those two men."
According to him, Sudeeksha, her uncle Satendra Bhati and nephew Nigam Bhati left home at 8 AM to meet a relative. At about 9:30 AM, two men on a black (Royal Enfield) Bullet motorcycle overtook them twice and then suddenly stopped the bike, according to him. "My brother also had to use brakes, which made him lose balance and my daughter Sudeeksha fell and suffered serious head injuries. She was declared brought dead at the hospital," he said.
Many on social media have demanded justice in the case. In a tweet, former UP chief minister and BSP chief Mayawati on Tuesday said: "In Bulandshahr, a promising student - Sudeeksha Bhati - who was travelling on a bike with her uncle lost her life due to misdeeds of bikers. This is highly tragic, shameful and condemnable. How will daughters progress? BSP demands the state should take swift action against the accused."