A tragic incident unfolded on National Highway 2 in the early hours of Monday, leading to the untimely death of Sutandra Chatterjee, a 27-year-old dancer and event manager from Chandernagore, Bengal. The accident occurred around midnight as Chatterjee was en route to Gaya for work. Her vehicle overturned, resulting in her immediate death at the scene. Two colleagues who were with her sustained injuries. While authorities have seized both vehicles involved, no arrests have been made yet.
The Durgapur-Asansol police commissioner, Sunil Kumar Choudhary, provided an initial explanation based on CCTV footage analysis. According to him, the crash happened due to a risky overtaking maneuver by another vehicle, which grazed Chatterjee's car. However, this version of events has been contested by those traveling with her. Mintu Mondal and driver Rajdeo Sharma alleged that the occupants of the white car had been harassing them over a significant stretch of road. They described a harrowing journey where the other vehicle repeatedly rammed into theirs, creating multiple collisions along the way.
Mondal further claimed that the individuals in the white car appeared to be under the influence of alcohol and eventually abandoned their vehicle to flee the scene. "We tried to catch two of them but released them to attend to Sutandra," he recounted. The driver, Sharma, added that they feared the other party might be robbers, adding to the panic during the chase.
The tragedy has left Chatterjee's family devastated. As the sole breadwinner, she supported her mother, two grandmothers, and managed her newly established event management company, Moonwalk. Her mother, Tanushree Chatterjee, vehemently rejected the police's account and called for swift justice. "Losing my husband eight months ago and now my only child is unbearable," she expressed, emphasizing the need for a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The conflicting accounts between law enforcement and eyewitnesses highlight the complexity of the case. Authorities are urged to conduct a comprehensive inquiry to uncover the truth behind this heartbreaking event. Meanwhile, Chatterjee's loved ones and colleagues mourn the loss of a vibrant individual whose life was cut short under mysterious and distressing conditions.