Midnapore: A 44-year-old private firm employee and a passionate biker from Dhakuria, Debahuti Banerjee, died in an accident on the National Highway near Balihati, under the jurisdiction of Kharagpur PS on Sunday.Banerjee, who spent her holidays exploring unfamiliar routes with her dedicated riding group, was returning from a trip to Chandipur in Odisha. The expedition comprised 40 members, including her son, Aniket Mukherjee, a class 12 student. The group had departed from Jadavpur on Friday, initiated their return journey over the weekend, and entered the Kharagpur stretch on Sunday afternoon. The accident occurred around 4.30 pm, when the wheel of Banerjee’s motorcycle hit a deep pothole, on the highway near Balihati.According to family members, her bike was at a normal 50 kmph speed and had barely navigated a road bumper when it hit the pothole. The impact caused her to lose control, throwing her off the vehicle and hitting a road side concrete pillar. The impact injured her lungs. Aniket, who was riding a bike ahead in the convoy, immediately halted upon receiving news of the crash. “I was on one of the bikes ahead, while my mother was riding somewhere in the middle section,” Aniket said. Along with Banerjee fellow rider Tumpa Paul was also thrown off the motorcycle during the crash and sustained injuries, She received medical care at a Midnapore nursing home.Co-riders quickly shifted Banerjee to a private hospital near Kansai Bridge, under Kotwali PS. Her condition deteriorated, and she succumbed during treatment. Cops transferred her body to Midnapore Medical College and Hospital, where a post-mortem was conducted on Monday. Her body was handed over to her family on Monday night. Her brother, who works in Nigeria, has returned to attend her final rites.The family indicated they may soon file an FIR against authorities for negligence leading to the death. “She was riding for the last four years. She was a very careful rider,” a kin said. Banerjee’s social media timelines were flooded with messages from fellow riders. They posted Banerjee “may leave this world, but her passion, courage, and love for the open road will always remain an inspiration.”(With inputs from Debobrata Shome in Kolkata)
