86-year-old out on evening walk killed as car hits 4 in Kolkata township

An 86-year-old man died in the early hours of Wednesday after being hit by a car during his evening walk in New Town near Kolkata on Tuesday. Three others were also injured in the incident.The deceased was identified as Sribas Chandra Ojha. He was out for his daily walk with an attendant when the accident occurred around 6.45 pm near a parking area inside the Uniworld City township.According to police sources, the vehicle was allegedly being driven by a woman who runs a shop at the nearby Downtown Mall.The FIR filed at Techno City police station states that the car was allegedly being driven in a rash and negligent manner when it hit Ojha and the others head-on. A case of death due to negligent driving has been registered, and an investigation is underway. Police have not yet confirmed whether the driver had a valid driving licence.“The impact threw my grandfather off his feet. Three others were also injured. We cannot describe what we are going through. I never imagined that he would go out for his evening walk and never return,” said Nilabhro Chakraborty, Ojha’s grandson. Another family member, Nilendu Chakraborty, described the moments immediately after the accident.“I had just returned home from the hospital when I was called downstairs. His denture was blocking his airway. I removed it and inserted a bottle into his mouth to create an airway before we rushed him to Ohio Hospital,” he said.An autopsy was conducted at NRS Medical College and Hospital, following which Ojha was cremated on Wednesday.Of the three others injured, Ojha’s attendant suffered a fractured shoulder and remains hospitalised. Another youth sustained a skull fracture and is undergoing treatment in the ICU of a private hospital in Kolkata.The third injured person, a resident of a nearby housing complex, was given first aid and discharged.“My wife was also downstairs at the time and had a narrow escape,” Chakraborty said.Ojha lived with his daughter and son-in-law in the same residential complex.“The driver’s husband came to seek forgiveness, but the loss is beyond repair,” Chakraborty added.Residents alleged that vehicles were often driven inside the complex by people without valid licences or adequate driving experience, putting children and elderly residents at risk.They have demanded stricter enforcement of speed limits, checks on driving licences at entry gates and better monitoring of vehicular movement inside the complex.The Uniworld City residents’ welfare association said it would hold a meeting to discuss the safety concerns and urged residents to refrain from speculation until the facts were established.- EndsPublished By: Aprameya RaoPublished On: Aug 9, 2026 16:22 IST