Tragic end to a bike trip in Nepal: Howrah youth Suman loses life after collision with a lorry; body returns in a coffin, leaving family devastated.
A passion for riding bikes through the mountains proved fatal. Suman Das, a young man from Domjur, Howrah, died after his bike collided with a lorry during a trip to Nepal. The accident occurred on Monday afternoon near Mugling on the Pokhara-Kathmandu Highway. His body, brought back in a coffin via Siliguri, reached his home in Nischinda, Howrah, on Tuesday night. His parents broke down in tears upon seeing their son’s lifeless body.
According to family and friends, 28-year-old Suman worked for a private company. Bike riding was his passion. On June 26, he set out for Nepal on a Royal Enfield motorcycle with four friends from Howrah. They were scheduled to return home on July 1 after visiting Pokhara and Kathmandu.
On Monday afternoon, while traveling from Pokhara towards Kathmandu, Suman’s bike collided head-on with an oncoming goods lorry at a bend near Mugling. Despite wearing a helmet, he sustained severe injuries to his head and chest and died on the spot. His accompanying friends suffered minor injuries.
Upon learning of the accident, Nepal Police and local residents launched a rescue operation. Suman was taken to a local hospital in Mugling, where doctors declared him dead. Subsequently, with the assistance of the Indian Embassy and the efforts of the Nepal Police, the process of repatriating the body to India began following a post-mortem examination on Tuesday morning.
The body arrived by road at Nischinda, Domjur, via Siliguri around 10 PM. A pall of gloom descended on the area as the news spread. Neighbors and relatives gathered in the family’s courtyard that very night.
His father, Sukumar Das, wept as he said, “I had repeatedly warned him not to take the bike on mountain roads. He didn’t listen. He said, ‘Baba, we only have one life. Let me go and see the world.’ That trip turned out to be his last.” His mother, Mita Das, kept fainting while clutching a photograph of her son to her chest. Sumon’s friend, Rahul Manna, said, “Sumon used to ride his bike very carefully. That particular bend was extremely dangerous. A lorry came speeding from the opposite direction. It was all over before anyone could even realize what was happening.”
The last rites were performed on Wednesday morning at the Badhaghat crematorium in Howrah. Local public representatives, including Domjur MLA Kalyan Ghosh, were present. The MLA assured the family of his support.
Police from the Domjur station stated that the Nepal Police are investigating the accident. The lorry driver has been detained. The administration is also emphasizing the need to raise awareness regarding the regulations for riding Indian bikes on roads in Nepal.
Sumon was an active member of the ‘Howrah Riders Club.’ Members of various biker groups across the state have expressed their grief on social media over his death. They have urged riders to exercise extra caution and adhere to local traffic rules while riding on mountain roads.
A hobby, a thirst for adventure—and in the end, only a lifeless body returned. Sumon’s untimely demise serves as a reminder that while the mountains are beautiful, they can prove fatal if one is not constantly vigilant.
