Faridabad: A 36-year-old scooter trader died after his scooter struck a cow sitting on a road in the NIT area in the early hours of Monday, underscoring recurring problems with stray cattle and night-time road safety in parts of the city, police and relatives said.
What happened
Police said the victim has been identified as Ashu Khatri, a two-wheeler trader who was returning to his home in NIT-5 from a friend's house at about 4 am. CCTV footage obtained by investigators showed Khatri approaching at speed near NIT-3, applying brakes when the animal came into view, but colliding with the cow. The impact hurled him nearly 15 feet from the scooter, according to the footage and police statements.
Khatri lay on the road, bleeding, for nearly an hour before he was noticed at daybreak and taken to a nearby hospital. Doctors referred him to BK Hospital, but he died en route, police said. The cow was knocked over in the collision, rose soon after and walked away from the scene.
Official response and family reaction
Police at the Sector-3 chowki confirmed that statements have been recorded and the body was handed over to the family after a post-mortem examination.
Khatri's cousin, Rajan Khatri, blamed the Municipal Corporation, saying:
“The Municipal Corporation is responsible for my brother’s death. If officials had cleared stray cattle from the roads, he would be alive today.”
Municipal Health Officer Nitesh Parmar acknowledged operational difficulties, telling reporters that cattle-catching staff were on strike, which had hampered efforts to clear stray cattle from the roads. Parmar said the number of cattle-catching vehicles had been increased, but provided no further details on the deployment schedule or when the strike might be resolved.
Local context and broader concerns
Residents and civic activists pointed to broader problems beyond the immediate incident. They described several NIT-area roads as poorly lit and said stray cattle have been frequently sighted, contributing to road hazards at night. The source material also notes similar collisions elsewhere in South Haryana in recent months, including a fatal crash involving a retired Army captain in Rewari, which residents cite as part of a pattern.
- Victim: Ashu Khatri, 36, two-wheeler trader, married one year, lived with parents and brother.
- Location: NIT-3/NIT-5 area, Faridabad; incident time about 4 am.
- Immediate cause: Scooter collision with a cow; CCTV shows impact and victim thrown nearly 15 feet.
- Official issues raised: Strike by cattle-catching staff; municipal claim of increased cattle-catching vehicles.
| Time | Event |
|---|---|
| About 4:00 am | Khatri travelling from friend’s house to NIT-5; scooter hits cow near NIT-3. |
| Shortly after impact | Victim thrown ~15 feet; cow gets up and walks away. |
| Nearly one hour later | Passersby spot injured Khatri at daybreak and take him to local hospital; referred to BK Hospital. |
| En route | Khatri dies before reaching BK Hospital; body later handed to family after post-mortem. |
This case has revived concerns about stray cattle management, emergency response and night-time road safety in Faridabad. Relatives and activists said the incidents point to institutional failures including staff shortages, inadequate cattle shelters and reactive municipal action only after tragedies occur. Municipal officials have acknowledged at least one operational constraint — a strike by cattle-catching personnel — but have not provided a timeline for resolution or specifics on long-term measures to prevent such collisions.
Police said investigations are continuing and that statements from witnesses and family members have been recorded. No criminal charges relating to animal ownership or municipal negligence were reported by police at the time of filing.
