Kanpur woman who killed LIC agent with Thar gets bail on Diwali, victim's son fumes

A 55-year-old LIC agent was killed when a speeding Thar driven by a 24-year-old woman learning to drive rammed his scooter on the eve of Diwali in Kanpur. The woman got bail on Diwali, leaving the victim's family questioning the police and the justice system.

In Short

• Woman who returned home from Italy killed LIC agent on Diwali eve
• Accused Geeta Sachan lost control of Thar and fled scene after crash
• Geeta was arrested but got bail on Diwali, victim's son questions justice

A 24-year-old woman who ran over and killed a 55-year-old LIC agent with her Mahindra Thar in Kanpur over the weekend was granted bail on Diwali, prompting the victim's son to question the justice system.

The accident took place on November 7, on the eve of Diwali, when Santosh Singh Chauhan was returning home on his scooter after purchasing a saree for his wife. The impact of the speeding Thar, driven by Geeta Sachan, was so severe that Santosh died on the spot. The SUV hit the scooter and dragged both Santosh and his vehicle for a few metres, police said.

Geeta was subsequently arrested after Santosh's family protested against her action. However, on Diwali (Sunday), she received a bail order at the police station itself and left.

"What kind of justice is this? The woman who killed my father and brought darkness into our home just before Diwali is celebrating the festival with her family after being released. What about the darkness in our house?" Rahul Chauhan, the victim's son, said.

Geeta, who is a learner driver, lost control of her Thar, broke through the boundary wall of a residential property and crashed into a garden. Eyewitnesses said Geeta, her younger sister and a man were travelling in the vehicle. According to The Times of India, Geeta is pursuing her studies in Italy and returned home for Diwali.

The occupants abandoned the damaged SUV and fled in another car that arrived at the scene shortly after the crash. A video of the incident surfaced on social media showed Geeta stepping out of the Thar and screaming before leaving in the other vehicle, while Santosh's body lay nearby.

The police initially registered a case against unidentified persons. However, after tracing the vehicle to sand contractor Guddu Sachan, investigators identified his daughter, Geeta, as the woman driving the Thar.

The victim's family alleged that the police did not initially register Santosh's identity despite his family identifying him after the accident. His son, Rahul, subsequently staged a protest and refused to allow the post-mortem proceedings to conclude until Geeta was arrested.

Geeta was eventually arrested, following which the family agreed to take Santosh's body for the last rites. However, the accused was later released on bail from the police station on Diwali, triggering fresh anger from the family.

Rahul, who works as a manager at a company in Lucknow, has also questioned whether Geeta possessed a valid driving licence. He said the police should investigate the matter and hold her father accountable if she was allowed to drive without a licence.

"If she did not have a driving licence, her father should also be questioned. How could he allow his daughter to drive the vehicle?" Rahul said.

Responding to the family's allegations, ACP Dilip Singh said Geeta had been arrested but was granted bail at the police station because the offence carried a punishment of less than seven years.

"The remaining aspects of the case are being investigated. If the family has any further complaints, they can submit them in writing, and those will also be included in the investigation," the ACP said. Police have seized the Thar involved in the accident.

- Ends
(with inputs from Ranjay Singh)