The driver who allegedly rammed his car into a woman motorcyclist on Gurugram’s Golf Course Road on Sunday was arrested from Dausa in Rajasthan along with his cousin on Tuesday, police said, adding that attempt-to-murder charges were invoked after investigators concluded that the incident appeared to involve a deliberate attempt to hit the biker.
He sustained injuries to his left forearm and head while fleeing and was briefly taken to a hospital. It came to light after she posted a video of the incident on social media, prompting police to take suo motu cognisance. The suspects were identified as 33-year-old Kalyan Bainsla and his cousin, 34-year-old Lavnish, both residents of Chandhut in Palwal. Sunday’s incident took place between 7.15am and 7.30am when Delhi resident Shivani Chauhan, alias Sia, was riding her motorcycle with a group of bikers. On Monday, police registered an FIR at Sector 56 police station under sections 125 (act endangering life or personal safety of others) and 281 (rash driving) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Police also added sections 78 (stalking) and 79 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) of the BNS after Chauhan’s statement was recorded on Tuesday.
Kalyan owns a gym and runs a real estate business in Palwal, police said. Investigators said Kalyan attempted to escape from police custody while being brought back to Gurugram. In an Instagram video, Chauhan described the incident and alleged that the driver “appeared to be drunk”. She said she had tried to maintain as much distance as possible from the car following an exchange of words. Kumar said the decision to invoke attempt to murder charges was based on the suspected intention behind the incident rather than the extent of Chauhan’s injuries. “Even though the victim had not sustained any life-threatening injuries, looking at the intention to harm her fatally after chasing, it was decided that the attempted murder charges must be added,” he said. “Looking at these developments, sections 78 and 79 of BNS were also added in the case,” Kumar said, adding that the victim had alleged that the suspects made obscene gestures and comments towards her. Police said the two would be produced before a court and sought two days’ remand for interrogation.
