Navy man returning to duty killed in Mathura hit-and-run

Agra: A 25-year-old Indian Navy personnel, whose leave was cut short due to Operation Sindoor, was killed in a hit-and-run in Mathura while on his way to rejoin duty in Kochi, police said. He was cremated with full state honours on Saturday.

Prashant Kumar Chaudhary, who joined the Navy in 2019 and got married in Nov 2023, was heading to Mathura Junction to board a train around 8pm on Friday when his bike was hit by an unidentified vehicle near his village Gajoli, under the jurisdiction of Farah police station.

"He died on the spot. We rushed him to the military hospital in Mathura, where doctors declared him dead," said Sonveer Chaudhary, the victim's uncle. "His brother, Sachin Chaudhary (22), who was driving the bike, sustained injuries and is being treated at a hospital in Bharatpur. Prashant's leave was cut short due to Operation Sindoor, and he had been recalled to duty."

DSP Shweta Verma of Mathura's refinery area said, "The autopsy has been conducted and the body has been handed over to the family. A formal complaint is awaited, but a probe is underway. CCTV footage from the area is being scanned to identify the vehicle and driver." Prashant is survived by his wife and parents.

Operation Sindoor, under which Prashant was recalled, was launched by India against terror infrastructure in Pakistan and PoK. On Saturday afternoon, both nations agreed to a "full and immediate ceasefire" to de-escalate tensions.