New Delhi:
A distant cousin of the man who rammed a sedan on a woman biker in Haryana’s Gurugram has been detained for passing obscene comments to her, the police said today.
The driver, identified as Kalyan Bainsla, was detained earlier today. His cousin, Lavnish Bainsla, was inside the sedan with black tinted windows as it drove parallel to Sia’s bike.
“The role of the other person is currently being investigated. It is established that he was present with the accused at the time of the incident. As the investigation progresses, further details regarding his role will be shared,” a police officer said, referring to Lavnish Bainsla.
The police action came two days after their white sedan hit Sia’s bike on a road in Gurugram and sped away. Action cameras mounted on her bike and other riders who were following her captured the whole incident.
Sia has given several interviews to the media and appealed for action in the last two days. This morning, she questioned the authorities over how the accused who drove the car could roam freely despite the blatant “criminal act”.
As soon as the video went viral, the accused gave an interview to the media, apparently attempting to present a counter-narrative in his defence and subsequently switched off his phone and left the area, a police officer said.
“The investigation is underway, including verification of other aspects concerning him. The incident came to the police’s notice only yesterday. The police immediately took suo motu cognisance on the basis of the video and initiated action. All further action, including the medical examination of the accused, will be carried out as per law.”
While the matter may involve aspects of drunk driving, the provisions invoked in this case relate to a much more serious offence, including Section 307, since the video clearly shows that the accused deliberately hit the woman from the side.
Before the detentions began, Sia had asked the police to explain how possibly any law-abiding citizen in places like Gurugram and Delhi would feel safe when the “department” itself does not do anything.
“I will not give up on the fight. I will set an example,” Sia told NDTV earlier today.
After the incident, the accused drove across several locations to evade detection and eventually reached an area near Dausa in Rajasthan, the police officer added. The police closed in on him after checking dozens of CCTV cameras installed along the routes he had taken.
Sia’s father this evening said his daughter came to the office of a magistrate to record her statement. Her brother and sister accompanied her.
Sia told reporters this morning that men like Bainsla getting away would encourage criminals to inflict harm on common people, expecting no punishment. “I was terrified after he rammed my bike. I am glad that everything was recorded,” she said.
On camera, some of the violations – notwithstanding the serious ones – proved themselves, such as black tint on the sedan’s windows, jumping a red light and the hit-and-run. “The driver was clearly drunk. He hit me deliberately,” Sia said.
In an earlier video, Bainsla was seen telling a reporter that he did not know whether the biker was a man or woman and alleged only one side of the incident had been presented. He also questioned why videos involving one of Sia’s male friends had not emerged.
Sia challenged his claim that she and the other bikers had repeatedly accelerated and slowed down. “He is saying that we were repeatedly speeding up and slowing down on the road. But my video clearly shows who was actually trying to corner whom,” she said.
She dismissed Bainsla’s claim that he was unaware a woman was riding the motorcycle. She said he had come close to her, seen her hair, made gestures and signalled for her to stop.
