Questions mount over Nagpur student Zidan's death in Seoni crash as case diary row stalls probe

Nagpur: Attempts are being made to close the death of 18-year-old promising student Zidan alias Rehan Imtiaz Ali as an ordinary road accident, but new questions keep surfacing instead of the sequence of events becoming clear. More than ten days after the crash, the investigation is reported not to have begun. Nagpur police claim they sent the case diary ten days ago, while Madhya Pradesh police say they have not received the documents. The matter has become so tangled between the police of two states that a family is having to wait to learn the truth about its son's death.

The case is politically very sensitive. The name of Yatharth, son of BJP MLA Parinay Phuke, is linked to the events. The Opposition is continuously raising questions, an SIT probe is being demanded, and calls have been made for an inquiry at the level of the Home Minister. Even so, Seoni police have given no clear information on the status of the investigation. Attempts were made to contact Seoni Superintendent of Police Krishna Lalchandani, but he did not respond despite repeated calls.

Zidan died on the night of November 4 on the Khawasa-Turia road in Seoni district of Madhya Pradesh. He was travelling in a Fortuner, registration number MH/40/AH/7222, owned by MLA Parinay Phuke. He is said to have gone with Yatharth, the MLA's son, and other friends to a resort at Turia for a jungle safari and a pre-birthday party. After spending some time at the resort, all the students left in vehicles at 9.30 pm. The vehicle Zidan was in allegedly met with an accident. It was badly damaged and Zidan died. He was immediately brought to a private hospital in Nagpur, where doctors declared him dead. The post-mortem was then conducted at Mayo Hospital. Sadar police registered a case of accidental death on November 5 and sent the documents related to the incident to Madhya Pradesh police. More than ten days after the documents were sent, Seoni police are said not to have received the case diary.

According to sources, apart from the panchnama of the accident site, no concrete effort has been seen to gather other important evidence. If this is correct, the question arises of what Seoni police are waiting for and whether the responsibility for investigation is being deferred in the name of the case diary. Crucial evidence from the accident can fade with time, yet the sluggishness of the investigating agencies shows no sign of ending.

A key and puzzling aspect concerns the other students in the Fortuner. Besides the driver, six to seven students are said to have been in the vehicle. In the severe crash that left the Fortuner badly wrecked, how badly were the other students hurt? Which hospital did they go to? Were they medically examined? Did police record their statements? No clear information has emerged on these basic questions.

After Zidan's death, another development has given the case a new turn. Some people connected to Zidan's family are said to have met a senior state political leader. During the meeting they were also shown some evidence related to the accident and the events on a mobile phone. Photographs of the meeting were posted on a person's social media account, showing people connected to Zidan's family with the leader. But as the matter began to heat up politically, the posts and photographs were removed from social media. The question is why they needed to be removed if the family is seeking justice, demanding an SIT probe and wants a fair investigation on the basis of the alleged evidence. Whether someone asked for this, whether the posts were removed under pressure or for another reason, should also be examined.

The Opposition is questioning BJP MLA Parinay Phuke and his son over Zidan's death, while the Phuke family calls it an attempt to defame them without reason. Zidan's family is in shock at losing their son. Amid the allegations and counter-allegations, the greatest responsibility for bringing out the truth lies with the police. Yet Seoni Superintendent of Police Krishna Lalchandani is not responding.

What actually happened at the spot, who was driving the vehicle, under what circumstances the accident occurred, and what happened from the site to the hospital are also matters for investigation. Forensic examination of the vehicle, technical evidence, medical reports, CCTV footage and statements of eyewitnesses are important parts of the probe. The other students who reached Nagpur with Zidan on the night of November 4 had said the accident happened when an animal suddenly came in front of the Fortuner. The truth of the students' account has not been established.

Questions before the system: Why have Seoni police not made a concrete start to the investigation despite more than ten days? Why have the documents sent by Nagpur police not reached Seoni police? Why are the condition and statements of the other students in the Fortuner not public? Why were photographs of Zidan's family meeting a political leader removed from social media? If this was an ordinary road accident, why is a fair and transparent investigation being delayed so much?

Zidan's death should not end as a mere road accident case closed in files. It concerns the life of a student whose family has not yet received a clear answer on the circumstances of their son's death. The truth should not be lost amid political clout, police functioning and administrative responsibilities. The point is not to blame any leader or family, but to find answers to the questions this episode has raised.