Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has urged his Meghalaya counterpart to initiate a thorough and impartial investigation into the death of a 25-year-old woman from Assam in a road traffic accident that occurred at Shangbangla in Ri-Bhoi on Wednesday.
The incident took place in the early hours when a Hyundai Alcazar (AS 01EV 9578) collided with a stationary truck parked on the roadside while attempting to overtake another vehicle. The impact resulted in the death of Namrata Borah. The other four occupants of the vehicle escaped with minor injuries.
The deceased’s family has been questioning the circumstances surrounding her death and want a full inquiry.
Following the incident, Sarma took to social media platform X to request the Meghalaya CM, Conrad K Sangma, to ensure that a proper and unbiased investigation is conducted. Sarma highlighted concerns raised by the victim’s family and citizens of Assam, emphasising the need for transparency and fairness to prevent any perception of partiality in the handling of the case.
Namrata, who worked in Guwahati, had purportedly gone on a drive towards Shillong with her friends in the early hours on Wednesday, but they decided to return midway. The accident on National Highway 6 occurred at around 4:45am.
The case has elicited despicable communal and misogynistic comments on social media. The communal angle targeted the person driving the vehicle, Md Ismail Hoque Choudhury, who bears a Muslim name. Commentators have also questioned why young women should be out driving around with male friends in the middle of the night.
