Dancer Killed in Tragic Accident While Fleeing Harassment in West Bengal

Hooghly- A tragic incident unfolded early Monday morning in West Bengal when Sutandra Chattopadhyay, a dancer and event management professional, lost her life in a vehicle accident while trying to escape harassment from a group of intoxicated individuals.

The fatal incident occurred near Panagarh when the vehicle carrying Chattopadhyay, a resident of Chandernagor in Hooghly district, overturned after attempting to evade pursuers. Four other occupants of the vehicle sustained minor injuries in the accident.

According to driver Rajedeo Sharma's statement to police and media, the sequence of events began late Sunday when the group departed from Chandannagar for a professional engagement in Gaya, Bihar. The situation escalated during a routine fuel stop at a petrol pump along the National Highway at Budbud in East Burdwan district.

Sharma reported that a group of intoxicated young men began verbally harassing Chattopadhyay at the petrol station. Though the group initially ignored the harassment and continued their journey, the situation took a dangerous turn when the harassers began pursuing their vehicle.

Mintu Mondal, Chattopadhyay's colleague who was present in the vehicle, confirmed the aggressive nature of the pursuit. "Their behavior was extremely aggressive from the start, using unprintable language. We tried to avoid confrontation, never expecting they would attempt to force our vehicle to stop," Mondal stated.

The pursuit continued until Panagarh, where the situation turned fatal. According to Sharma, the pursuing vehicle attempted to force them off the road by overtaking and blocking their path, resulting in a collision. In an desperate attempt to escape, Sharma tried to divert onto a service road near a rice mill, but lost control. The vehicle overturned after striking a public urinal and a scrap iron shop, resulting in Chattopadhyay's immediate death.

Law enforcement has seized the vehicle used by the alleged harassers, who remain at large. Police are actively investigating the incident, reviewing CCTV footage from the area to identify and apprehend the suspects.