Eatery Argument Turns Deadly in Noida Fog
A night that began with a birthday party in Noida ended in tragedy for two young friends, in what their companion describes as a brutal case of road rage and not a mere accident. Basant Khasu (23) and Rohan Mandal (27) were killed on the spot when an SUV, allegedly chasing them, rammed into their motorcycle at high speed near Army Public School on the night of December 30.
From Paratha Stop to Fatal Chase
According to their friend Pushpendra, who was with them earlier, the sequence of events started at a roadside eatery in Sector 30. Basant and Rohan, on their way back from a party, had stopped for parathas around 11:15 PM. There, they got into an argument with another customer.
Pushpendra stated that after a friend called Rohan and learned about the altercation, he and another friend, Vikas, went looking for them. "We could not find them at the eatery, nor were they answering their phones," Pushpendra told TOI. After dropping Vikas, Pushpendra headed towards DPS school.
"Near Dent Star, I spotted Basant and Rohan driving their bike at high speed and a black SUV right behind them," he recounted. He believes the argument had escalated into a dangerous chase on the road.
A Foggy Night and a Devastating Impact
The chase culminated in a horrifying crash in the dense fog near Army Public School. Pushpendra, who was following, lost sight of them at a T-point. "When I was approaching Army Public School, I saw a bike stuck to the grille there. The SUV, probably a Scorpio N, was right there. It reversed and sped off," he said.
The impact was so severe that the two youths were flung into the roadside railings, with their bike entangled in the grille. Pushpendra emphasized that the SUV did not have a number plate and fled the scene after stopping briefly. He tried to chase it but lost it in the fog.
Rohan's autopsy confirmed ante-mortem head injuries. Basant's family, however, did not consent to a post-mortem examination.
Families Demand Justice, Police Hunt for SUV
The grieving families have rejected the initial police theory of an accident. Basant's mother, Sonam, revealed that her son had called his brother Dheeraj for help around 11:30 PM, saying Rohan had gotten into a fight. Dheeraj, thinking it was a joke, did not act immediately.
"They hit both the kids badly. We need justice. My son had so many plans for his life," a distraught Sonam said. Basant was a third-year hotel management student at a Film City institute, aspiring to be a chef. His father, Hari, who flew in from Kenya, said, "We live in a high-tech city like Noida, but even after 48 hours, police have not been able to find the culprits."
Rohan worked on a contract basis with the fire department. Both lived in Nithari.
Noida Police have registered an FIR under relevant BNS sections for rash driving and causing death due to negligence. A senior officer confirmed that five teams have been formed to track down the SUV, and CCTV footage from the area is being scanned. The main challenge is the absence of a number plate on the vehicle.
Basant's brother Dheeraj told TOI, "I believe the men in the SUV were the same people with whom my brother and his friend had an altercation. It's a clear case of murder." The investigation continues as the city seeks answers to this shocking incident.
