It’s often said that life can change in an instant, and on that fateful day, I learned just how true that can be. Sumit, my vibrant 20-year-old brother, was the heartbeat of our family. We were close, but he had a special bond with Maa, always looking out for her and trying to ease her burdens. As a younger sibling, he brought a sense of joy that illuminated our lives. Bhai had taken up a part-time job to support our family, and despite his young age, he was already contributing more than any of us could have imagined.
February 21st began like any other day. Sumit and I left home for work, completely unaware that our world would be turned upside down. Sitting on the bike behind his friend Ritesh, Sumit was heading towards Kanjur Marg station. I was following him on another bike. On our way, a speeding tempo, recklessly driving on the wrong side of the road, hit Sumit’s bike. The force of the collision threw Sumit off his bike and landed on the road in front of the tempo, resulting in his head being crushed under the vehicle's right wheel. My heart froze as I watched helplessly.
The sight of my brother, broken and lifeless, is something that will never leave me. I screamed for help, running towards him in a desperate attempt to save him, but there was little I could do. People nearby managed to catch the tempo driver who was trying to escape. I rushed to him and managed to get him to the hospital in an auto as fast as we could. Sumit’s friend, who was riding a Pillion, survived with minor injuries. However, it was too late for Sumit. The doctors declared him dead on arrival. In an instant, our entire world came crashing down.
When I called my parents to tell them what had happened, they couldn't believe it. Maa and Paa couldn’t bear the shock when they arrived at the hospital. Their son, their pride, was no longer with us. The pain was unbearable, and the weight of that moment will stay with me forever. The complaint was filed immediately, and the police booked the tempo driver for causing death due to negligence.
Losing a son isn’t something any parent can prepare for, and the grief that has gripped our family since that day is unimaginable. In the days that followed, everything changed. Our once lively home, filled with Sumit’s presence, now feels unbearably quiet. My parents struggle to process what has happened. Maa, who always shared a special bond with Sumit, finds herself lost in grief. Paa tries to stay strong, but I see the pain in his eyes. It’s as if a part of them died with Sumit that day.
It’s been seven months since the accident, but time hasn’t healed our wounds. The tempo driver responsible for taking Sumit’s life is out on bail, and the sense of injustice lingers heavily. Despite lodging an FIR immediately and following all legal procedures, we are left grappling with an overwhelming sense of loss.
I often find myself consumed with regret. I wish I had been closer to Sumit, had given him more of my time, and had shown him how much he meant to me. I never realized the depth of his struggles and never truly listened to his problems. Now, all I’m left with are these thoughts of “what ifs” and “if only.” The void he’s left behind is something that can never be filled.
Our lives will never be the same again without Sumit. The emptiness his absence has left behind is something we struggle with every single day. But we are holding on—holding on to the memories of his vibrant smile, his laughter, and his caring nature. Holding on to the hope that someday we will get justice for him and that the person responsible will be held accountable for taking him away from us. Until then, we carry him with us, in our hearts, always.
~Sumit
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