A fatal road accident near Pushkar Ghati on the Pushkar-Ajmer Highway, Rajasthan, occurred when a speeding Fortuner SUV collided with three motorcycles. The reckless driver tragically killed one motorcyclist and injured four others. The man is identified as Digvijay Singh Chauhan, who was drunk while driving the car.
The vehicle involved in the crash is reportedly registered in the name of the Khatu Shyam Mandir Seva Samiti. Members of the committee were allegedly travelling in the vehicle at the time of the crash. The police also recovered a carton filled with liquor bottles from inside the SUV and seized it.
Khatu Shyam Ji Mandir is located in the district of Sikar, Rajasthan, and is considered as one of the most prominent pilgrimage destinations in the state. According to Hindu mythology, Khatu Shyam Ji is the manifestation of the son of Ghatotkacha, Barbarika. It is said that devotees who pronounce his name from the bottom of their hearts are blessed and have their troubles removed, if they do it with true piety.
The discovery of liquor from the vehicle has raised questions in devotees’ minds. It stands as a stark contrast to the spiritual ideals, discipline and responsibility expected from the service committee of a temple. People are concerned that the ones entrusted with representing a sacred place are downplaying the sincerity of their roles.
According to police, the deceased Ravi (35) was a resident of Dholabhata in Ajmer. The police said that Ravi was riding a motorcycle with his brother-in-law, Jitendra alias Sonu, a resident of the Nagra area in Ajmer, who sustained injuries. Both of them were painters, one met a scarlet end to his life and the other has been scarred for life.
On the second motorcycle, Rohit (22), a resident of Shastri Nagar, was travelling with his uncle Madhusudan Vaishnav (29). Both sustained injuries in the accident. Police shifted the injured victims to JLN Hospital. The rider of the third motorcycle was also injured and taken to hospital, but later left without admission.
The deceased Ravi’s father, Kishore Kumar, a retired railway employee, lodged a complaint at Pushkar police station. Ravi had four sisters, two of whom are married. A painter leading a peaceful life had his future suddenly taken away by the carelessness of the VIP. A police investigation was initiated with the intent of justice, but justice has always been a term taken lightly by the privileged people of the society.
Police recovered a carton full of liquor bottles from the SUV. One bottle was reportedly found open on the seat. Investigators suspect the driver may have been under the influence of alcohol at the time of the accident. Yet the Pushkar Station House Officer Vikram Singh could not be contacted despite attempts to seek information regarding the accident, as reported by Dainik Bhaskar. Additional SP Rural Dr Lalchand said police are still investigating in whose name the Fortuner vehicle is registered.
Isn’t justice supposed to be swift and transparent? Then why did the officials not publicly clarify the ownership details of the Fortuner SUV even after 15 hours had passed since the unfortunate incident?
The fine for drunk driving in India ranges from Rs. 10,000 to Rs. 15,000, depending on the severity of the offence. For the first offence, the offender could face a fine of up to Rs. 10,000 and an imprisonment of up to six months. If the offence is repeated within a year, the fine can go up to Rs. 15,000 along with imprisonment of up to two years. For repeat offenders, depending on the severity of the offence, the vehicle can also be impounded, and the driving license can be cancelled.
According to sources, nine overspeeding challans are already pending against the vehicle. This raises a serious question: What is the essence of having such rigid rules when they do not apply to those with influence? The foundation of laws is built on equality. But when they start to bend before privilege, it creates a perception that irrespective of the severity, law is flexible for the those with immense power.
Beyond the tragedy, the FIR and the delays, lies another grave question: Why has an incident involving a fatal crash, allegations of drunk driving and an eminent temple committee received hardly any media attention? Nowadays, minor controversies make it to the headlines for days while fatal incidents are soft-pedalled. The lack of detailed reports and follow-ups on the progress of the investigation are already telling the story that is being persistently buried.
A study by IIT Delhi’s Transportation Research and Injury Prevention Centre on the discrepancies in media reporting of fatal road crashes and official data in India found that media attention towards fatal road crashes is often selective and short-lived. It notes the differences between the fatal road traffic crash (RTC) data from India’s Times of India (TOI) and official statistics from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MORTH).
When coverage is restricted, justice is silently shelved and accountability is withheld. The families of the victims deserve more than survival, Ravi’s soul deserves justice.
- Gungun Sadana
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