On Suspicion of Covid-19, Bus Staff ‘Throw’ UP Teen Out of Bus; Girl Dies of Cardiac Arrest

While travelling from Noida to Shikohabad on a UP Roadways bus, a young woman died near Mathura on June 15, amid a scuffle in which her family alleges that the bus driver and staff threw her off the bus after suspecting that she had Covid-19.

According to officials and the police, 19-year-old Anshika died due to a cardiac arrest. Her family said that while travelling, she fainted due to heat and exhaustion, prompting the bus driver and conductor to believe that she was infected with coronavirus, a report by Indian Express states.

That fuelled an argument, the family said, after which the bus driver, conductor threw her off the bus, near a toll plaza in Mathura. Anshika suffered a cardiac arrest at some point during the argument, her family alleged.

However, Mathura Police said that there was no evidence of assault, and the woman was dropped midway.

According to Mant Police Station SHO Bhim Singh, a post-mortem was conducted at the district hospital after the victim's family approached the police. The report revealed that Anshika died of a natural cause; a heart attack, which is why the case did not merit any FIR or action, he said.

Singh said that there was a Covid-19 scare due to her being unwell, but that the driver dropped her near a toll plaza so she could pick another transport.

Anshika's father, Sushil Kumar, works as a security guard in Patparganj, Delhi. As the capital registers increasing Covid-19 cases everyday, the family thought it would be best for mother and daughter to go back to their home in Shikohabad.

Sarvesh Devi and Anshika boarded the bus at 2 pm from Noida’s Sector 37. Her brother Shiv was informed that she had died, at 4.20 pm.

Shiv said that his sister was fine when she boarded the bus, but that at some point in the journey, due to heat and exhaustion, she fainted.

The entire bus behaved as if she was infected with coronavirus, he said, adding that due to this, the driver and conductor began to harass her, after which they wrapped her in a blanket and threw her out of the bus.

Anshika and her mother also tried to reason with the bus staff, but to no avail, the family alleges. Shiv said that they went to file an FIR but were denied on the grounds that she died a 'natural' death.