“Intent to Kill” on Golf Course Road: A Dark Reflection of Urban Chaos

The gruesome hit-and-run incident on Golf Course Road in Gurgaon has sent shockwaves through the city. The accusations against Kalyan Singh Bainsla and his cousin Lavish, that they deliberately rammed their car into a woman biker with “intent to kill,” are chilling.

DCP Sandeep Kumar’s assertion that the accused had no qualms about using a borrowed vehicle raises more questions than answers. Bainsla, who runs gyms in Palwal and allegedly borrowed the car from a friend, has a history of reckless behavior. But what drove him to this point? Was it a momentary lapse or something more sinister?

The police’s decision to add attempt-to-murder charges highlights the disturbing trend of escalating violence on India’s roads. Over 150,000 lives are lost annually due to traffic-related incidents, and our cities seem increasingly inhospitable to its citizens. The number of high-speed chases and reckless driving incidents suggests a culture of impunity among certain segments of society.

Vehicle ownership in Indian society is a status symbol, and some individuals will go to great lengths to assert their dominance on the road – even if it means putting others’ lives at risk. Bainsla’s use of a borrowed car raises questions about the ease with which one can acquire and use vehicles in this country.

The aftermath of the incident has sparked concerns about police accountability and response times. While DCP Kumar’s swift action in arresting the accused is commendable, there are still concerns about how long it took for the culprits to be apprehended – and whether sufficient measures were taken to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.

Gurgaon struggles to come to terms with this tragedy, reminding us of other high-profile hit-and-run cases that have rocked the nation. The 2014 Delhi gang rape case is perhaps the most striking example of how unchecked urbanization and a culture of entitlement can lead to catastrophic consequences.

The incident highlights the urgent need for more effective road safety measures – not just in Gurgaon, but across India’s cities. Increased policing and improved infrastructure are among the steps that can be taken to prevent such tragedies from occurring in the first place. The question now is whether our authorities will take concrete action or simply pay lip service to it.

Kalyan Singh Bainsla and his cousin Lavish’s fate will soon be decided in court, but the real question remains: what kind of society are we creating when such crimes can occur with seeming impunity? The answer lies not just on Golf Course Road, but on the roads that crisscross our cities, where lives are lost every day to reckless driving and a culture of disregard for human life.