MUMBAI: Indian model-turned-actor Sonika Chauhan died in a road accident in Kolkata, leaving her fans and the showbiz industry in grief and shock.
Popular actor Vikram Chatterjee who was driving the vehicle suffered injuries and is said to be admitted at a hospital in Kolkata. Reports said at the time of accident, Vikram somehow managed to crawl out of the car.
But Sonika took the full impact of the crash and was bleeding from her head, ears and nose when Vikram, with the help of a few locals brought her out she was in extreme critical condition and was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital.
As per the police, Vikram’s car lost control and got into the footpath. After this, it rammed into a shop and turned 180 degrees.
Sonika who hails from Kolkata was a popular face in the modelling industry. She donned the anchors hat in shows like Pro Kabbadi League, Bigg Boss Bangla, and The Telegraph Food Guide Awards.
Mumbai Mirror reports that the duo was returning from a party, and that neither of them had their seat belts on. The four airbags in the car did not open, and the police are investigating whether Vikram was under the influence of alcohol while driving the car.
Conflicting reports
There were two versions of what could have led the car to swerve so violently to the left and hit the pavement at the Rashbehari Avenue-Tara Road crossing. Vikram’s father, Bijoy Chatterjee, claimed the sedan mounted the pavement while trying to avoid another car that had come out without any warning from inside Tara Road. “A man, who brought both Sonika and Vikram to the hospital, mentioned this,” he said.
But a section of locals and traffic police officials contested this. Witnesses that TOI spoke to said the car was travelling at breakneck speed. “The sound was deafening,” said Jayanta Sain, a resident of a building near the jewellery shop where the car came to rest. “We were forced out of our sleep. It was still dark outside and, when I peeped out of the window, I saw some people taking the occupants of the overturned car into another car,” he said. The mangled remains of the car were towed to the Tollygunge police station and a mechanical test would be carried out on it.
The Miss India Organization, in a statement, conveys deepest condolences to the bereaved family on the untimely demise of Sonika Chauhan.
The model turned anchor – was part of Miss Diva 2013 pageant where she won the coveted Miss Popular sub contest. Sonika achieved a lot in her career and being a beauty queen she impressed everyone with her grace and physical attributes. Sonika who is credited for bringing in the glamour quotient for Kabbadi in India, believed love and success held equal importance.
Soon after the news spread, people started taking it to their social handles to express their grief.
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