Guwahati, July 30: Popular Assamese actress Nandini Kashyap has been arrested by Dispur Police following a hit-and-run incident that claimed the life of 21-year-old Samiul Haque, a polytechnic student.
Samiul succumbed to his injuries on July 29, four days after being knocked down by Kashyap’s speeding vehicle in Guwahati’s Dakhingaon area.
The late-night accident on July 25 has triggered widespread outrage across Assam, with many questioning the alleged impunity enjoyed by influential celebrities and the perceived inequality in the application of law.
According to eyewitnesses, Kashyap—best known for her role in the Assamese film Rudra—was allegedly driving her Bolero SUV at over 120 kmph when she rammed into Samiul, who was assisting a Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) team repairing streetlights. Witnesses further alleged she was under the influence of alcohol, fled the scene without stopping, and later assaulted a bystander who tried to record the confrontation when GMC workers traced her to an apartment complex in Kahilipara.
Samiul, who suffered severe head injuries and multiple fractures, was rushed to Gauhati Medical College and Hospital before being shifted to Apollo Hospital on July 28. Despite doctors’ efforts, he passed away the following evening. His grieving mother told reporters, “I want justice for my son. We are poor people. She didn’t even come to see him in the hospital. She could have shown some humanity, but she fled.”
The family also alleged that Kashyap initially promised to cover medical expenses but later reneged, leaving them to struggle financially. Samiul, who lost his father earlier, had been the sole breadwinner while funding his own education.
Police Inaction Sparks Fury
Public anger intensified after Kashyap was allowed to leave following police questioning on July 28. Social media was flooded with criticism, accusing authorities of going soft on a celebrity. She was finally detained after Samiul’s death, as she returned from a theatre performance in North Guwahati.
Dispur Police have now booked Kashyap under charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder, rash and negligent driving, hit-and-run, and destruction of evidence. Senior police officials assured that the investigation will be impartial and that “no one will be spared, regardless of their status.”
Meanwhile, Rajdhani Theatre, with which Kashyap had a two-year acting contract, announced it was severing ties with her. In a statement, the group said: “We express our deepest condolences to the family of Samiul Haque. We stand by the demand for justice and have decided to terminate our association with Ms. Nandini Kashyap with immediate effect.”
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