Exclusive: Police ignored footage in Gurugram bike accident case, claims victim's friend

The victim's friend, Pradyuman Kumar, claimed that despite the police witnessing the footage of the accident at the scene, they did not immediately take it as evidence. 

In Short

• Young biker killed in Gurugram bike accident
• Accused granted bail quickly despite holidays
• Incident captured on GoPro camera worn by victim's friend

A road accident in Haryana's Gurugram, which claimed the life of a young biker, Akshat Garg, has raised concerns about police action and road safety. The incident was captured by a GoPro camera mounted on the bike of the victim's friend, Pradyuman Kumar.

The accident occurred on Sunday morning when Garg and Kumar, both avid bikers, were out for a routine ride with their motorcycle club. Speaking exclusively with India Today, Kumar stated that both the victim and the accused were travelling at speeds between 70 and 80 km/h, when the accused's car, coming from the wrong side of the road and driving in the rightmost fast lane, collided with Garg. Kumar's GoPro recorded the entire incident, providing critical evidence of the accident.

Kumar claimed that despite the police witnessing the footage at the scene, they did not immediately seize it. "The police saw the recording, but they didn’t take it as evidence that day," said Kumar. It wasn’t until three days later, after the accused Kuldeep Thakur had already been released on bail, that the police reached out to Kumar for the footage.

Accused Kuldeep Thakur, has a history of traffic violations, according to official records accessed by India Today. Thakur, a repeat offender, was previously issued challans for driving and parking on the wrong side, raising concerns about road safety violations. The most recent offence, documented on August 24 in Haryana, adds to a pattern of reckless behaviour.

The handling of the case has drawn criticism, particularly as the accused, reportedly a co-owner of a company running social media campaigns for politicians, was granted bail quickly, despite a Sunday and a public holiday on Monday. Kumar also noted that the accused did not exit the vehicle until onlookers, including himself, forced him to. After exiting, the accused allegedly made a phone call before cooperating with authorities.

Local residents and witnesses, including private security guards from the DLF area, were the first to respond, ultimately handing the accused over to the police. However, Kumar believes that the accident could have been prevented if there had been greater police vigilance in the area. “If the police had been active on this stretch, they could have stopped the car driving on the wrong side,” he stated.

Kumar expressed frustration over what he perceives as negligence by law enforcement, particularly in gathering crucial evidence in a timely manner. "The video was evidence, and they didn’t seek it proactively," he said, questioning why the footage wasn't immediately secured.