A 25-year-old sub-inspector with the Uttar Pradesh Police, Richa Sachan, tragically died in the early hours of Monday after her motorcycle collided with a WagonR in Ghaziabad’s Kavi Nagar area. The fatal crash occurred as she was returning home after completing her night duty.

Police officials say that a stray dog suddenly appeared in front of her motorcycle near Karta Chowk, approximately 200 metres from the Shastri police outpost, where she had recently been posted. In an attempt to avoid hitting the animal, Sachan swerved, lost control of her bike, and crashed into a car.

“She was returning home around 2 am after completing a patrol duty. So far, we have found that a stray dog had come in front of her motorcycle. To avoid hitting the animal, she swerved to the right but lost control and collided with the WagonR. She fell off the bike and sustained severe injuries,” said ACP Kavi Nagar, Bhaskar Verma.

Helmet On, But Impact Fatal

Though she was wearing a helmet and riding at a moderate speed of 50 km/h, the collision caused critical head injuries. A passerby alerted police, and a team rushed her to Sarvodaya Hospital, where doctors declared her dead on arrival.

The vehicle she collided with a WagonR is still under investigation. Authorities are working to determine whether the car was moving or parked at the time and are trying to locate the driver.

“We are trying to identify the vehicle’s owner and determining if the car was stationary or if the driver fled,” Verma added.

Young SI Had Just Begun Promising Career

Sachan, originally from Kanpur, had joined the police force in 2023 and had completed her training at Police Training School, Meerut, earlier this year. She was assigned to the Shastri Nagar outpost and had already earned a reputation for her commitment to service.

Her family is devastated. Her father, Rambabu, a farmer, revealed that she was preparing for the IAS exams and was set to be married in 2026.

“Every day she used to call at 9 pm. Now, she will never call again,” he told TOI.

Youngest Sibling, Fierce Rider, Fearless Officer

She was the youngest among five siblings and had a deep interest in motorbikes. Rather than a scooter, she opted for a Royal Enfield Bullet, which she purchased two years ago. Last December, she was involved in a road accident but returned to duty without taking leave.

A guard of honour was held for her at Ghaziabad police lines, and her remains were sent to her native village for cremation. The family has not filed a formal complaint, but police say they are continuing the investigation and awaiting the autopsy report.

“She was only at the beginning of her service,” a senior officer remarked. “It is a tragic loss, both for her family and for the force.”

This tragedy also comes at a time when the Supreme Court has ordered that all stray dogs in Delhi-NCR be moved to shelters amid a rise in dog bite incidents. Meanwhile, protests have erupted in Delhi by animal rights groups opposing the ruling.