Actor dies in Kolkata accident

KOLKATA-BASED model and actor Sonika Singh Chauhan (28) died in an accident near Lake Mall here in the early hours of Saturday. Her friend and actor Vikram Chatterjee (30), who was driving the SUV they were in, sustained head injuries and is undergoing treatment at Ruby Hospital.

The police have registered a suo motu case against Vikram at Tollygaunge police station for rash driving, causing death by negligence and causing grievous hurt by endangering personal safety of others.

Police sources said the accident took place around 3.30 am when the vehicle rammed into a roadside lamppost near Rash Behari Avenue.

Sonika, who fell unconscious, was taken to Ruby Hospital by Vikram and locals. She was declared dead around 4.50 am, said DC (Traffic) V Solomon Nesakumar. The car has been seized. “It was a high-end car, but the airbags didn’t work at the right time. We will investigate to find out the actual cause of the accident,” a police officer said.

A resident of Watgunge area, Sonika was last seen anchoring the Pro Kabaddi League. She was a known face in the advertisementindustry,andhadworkedin Mumbai on many assignments.

A friend of Vikram said: “I had a word with his (Vikram) father. He said while Vikram was driving, another car appeared from the right side. In an attempt to save a collision, he tried to take a U-turn and probably lost control.”

Vikram, a resident of Kasba, was discharged after primary medication but was again admitted to the hospital after he started feeling uneasy. A medical bulletin issued by the hospital said that Vikram was admitted with lacerated injury in the scalp. “His condition is stable,” the bulletin said.

Sonika Singh Chauhan