Key facts
- Police detained Kalyan Bainsla, a gym owner, in connection with a hit-and-run incident involving a female motorcyclist.
- The incident occurred on Sunday in Gurugram, near Delhi, when Shivani Chauhan was riding with a group of motorcyclists.
- A video shared by Chauhan shows a car striking her motorcycle, causing her to fall.
- Bainsla claimed he lost control while trying to avoid Chauhan's motorcycle and drove away fearing an attack from the bikers.
- Chauhan disputed Bainsla's account, alleging the car followed her group and its occupants became hostile.
- Police initially registered charges for rash driving but later added attempted murder.
Police in India have detained a man after a video showing a car striking a female motorcyclist in Gurugram, near Delhi, sparked national outrage. The incident occurred on Sunday when Shivani Chauhan was riding with a group of motorcyclists. A video recorded by a camera mounted on her bike appears to show a white car moving close and hitting her motorcycle, causing her to fall. The clip, shared by Chauhan on Instagram, went viral, prompting police to open an investigation.
The driver, identified as Kalyan Bainsla, a gym owner from Palwal in Haryana state, has been detained, Gurugram police spokesperson Sandeep Kumar confirmed to the BBC. Police said he had borrowed the car from another man.
Bainsla has denied hitting Chauhan deliberately. In an interview with Aaj Tak news channel, he claimed that members of the biking group had repeatedly overtaken his car before slowing down in front of it, and that he lost control near a U-turn while trying to avoid Chauhan's motorcycle. He also stated he drove away because the motorcyclists were shouting abuses and he feared he and his relatives would be attacked.
Chauhan has disputed his account, alleging the car had begun following her group shortly after they started their ride and its occupants became hostile. She continued riding fearing the car might block her, while a friend tried to shield her motorcycle. Chauhan also alleged the men in the car appeared to be intoxicated, a claim denied by Bainsla's lawyer, Naveen Bainsla, who told ANI news agency that his client had not been drinking and was travelling with relatives. Naveen Bainsla rejected the description of the incident as a deliberate "hit-and-run case", arguing it was negligent driving.
Chauhan sustained minor injuries, reportedly due to her protective gear. The footage has prompted widespread anger online and discussions about harassment faced by female bikers on Indian roads, with several women riders sharing similar experiences.