Jamshedpur women harassed on Ranchi-Tata Highway, car damaged after chase by Scorpio riders

Driver injured in stone attack; delay in police response raises questions

Jamshedpur, July 8: Three women travelling from Jamshedpur to Hazaribagh allegedly faced harassment and violence on the Ranchi-Tata Highway near Dasham Fall on Tuesday afternoon after two youths in a Scorpio SUV chased their car, blocked their path and vandalised the vehicle.

A video of the incident has surfaced, showing the accused allegedly threatening the occupants, trying to open the car doors and pelting stones at the vehicle. The women said the accused fled only after local people started gathering at the spot.

According to the victims, who requested anonymity, they had left Jamshedpur for Hazaribagh on Tuesday morning with their sister, a friend and driver Ranveer Singh. After having breakfast at a roadside hotel in Bundu, they visited the Surya Mandir before resuming their journey.

The incident began at around 12.27 pm when their car reached the National Highway near Dasham Fall. The women alleged that a speeding Scorpio (registration number JH-01-GH-4141), coming from the Bundu side, collided with their vehicle. They claimed the accident was caused by the Scorpio driver.

Following the collision, the two youths travelling in the Scorpio allegedly started arguing with the women and behaved aggressively. Sensing danger, the women decided to leave the spot. However, the accused allegedly chased their car, repeatedly overtook it and attempted to block their way.

The women said that in an effort to escape, their driver reversed the vehicle and even drove in the opposite direction. Despite this, the Scorpio continued to follow them. The accused eventually stopped their car by blocking the road from the front.

According to the victims, the youths tried to force open the driver’s door. When they failed to do so, they allegedly threw stones at the vehicle, breaking the driver’s side window. Driver Ranveer Singh suffered injuries due to the shattered glass.

During the attack, the women repeatedly called the police emergency helpline Dial-100 seeking immediate assistance. According to the information shared by the victims, the first call was made at around 12.33 pm. The complaint reached the Ranchi Police control room at 12.38 pm.

The women alleged that police reached the spot only at around 12.58 pm, nearly 25 minutes after the emergency call, by which time the accused had already fled.

After examining the video recorded during the incident, police identified the Scorpio involved and seized the vehicle. The two accused, identified as Rajkumar Mahato and Shoaib Raza, were later called to the police station for questioning.

The incident has also raised concerns over the absence of highway patrolling in the area. According to the victims, no police patrol vehicle was seen on the stretch between the Surya Mandir and Dasham Fall during the incident. Local residents also claimed that highway patrolling is generally visible only during VIP movements.

The delay in the police response has drawn criticism, as emergency services are expected to reach the spot within 10 minutes of receiving a Dial-100 or Dial-112 call.

Ranchi Rural SP Gaurav Goswami said police reached the location around 20 minutes after receiving the information. He attributed the delay to the interior location of the incident.

The victim women said the incident left them deeply shaken and has raised serious concerns about the safety of women travelling on highways. Police are continuing their investigation into the case.