Guwahati, 30 July (HS): Panbazar Women Police of Guwahati arrested Assamese actress Nandini Kashyap in the early hours of Wednesday. Nandini has been arrested in the hit-and-run case that took place on July 25. In this case, 21-year-old Samiul Haque lost his life. This arrest has been made after several days of interrogation and amid growing pressure from student groups and civil society demanding justice.
The incident took place on the night of July 25 in Dakhingaon area of Guwahati, where Samiul Haque, a second-year student of Nalbari Polytechnic and a temporary employee in Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC), was allegedly hit by a speeding vehicle named Kashyap. Samiul, who was seriously injured in the collision of the vehicle, was first taken to Guwahati Medical College and later to Apollo Hospital, but he killed during treatment the next evening.
The incident has sparked outrage across the state, with the All Assam Polytechnic Students' Union (AAPSU) filing an FIR and massive protests demanding swift legal action. Eyewitnesses said the vehicle did not stop after the collision, further fuelling public anger.
The police are reviewing CCTV footage, eyewitness statements and forensic evidence to reconstruct the sequence of events. Officials have indicated that further legal provisions may be added based on the final forensic and post-mortem reports.
Meanwhile, Nandini Kashyap's family has issued a public statement expressing deep regret over the incident. Her mother said the family had tried to help Samiul from the beginning. She said Nandini's father even went to the hospital with money but was stopped and intimidated by some youths.
Responding to allegations of apathy, Kashyap's mother said the police had advised the family to avoid appearing in public for security reasons. He also spoke about earlier reports of traffic violations in Nandini's name and clarified that these offences were committed by the driver and not the actress.
The grieving family of Samiul Haque is pleading for justice. Support for them is pouring in online and on ground. Samiul's body was sent to GMCH for post-mortem on Wednesday morning. It is expected that the post-mortem report will prove crucial in ascertaining the real cause of death.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Sriprakash
