Bengaluru, Oct.30,2025:Bengaluru road rage murder took place on the night of 25 October 2025 in the south Bengaluru neighbourhood of Puttenahalli (under the jurisdiction of the Puttenahalli Police Station). A 24-year-old food delivery agent, identified as Darshan N., riding pillion with his friend, was fatally rammed by a car after a minor traffic brush turned into a deadly duel-
The victim’s friend survived with injuries. What had started as a negligible mirror-brush turned into a fatal confrontation.
According to reports, the scooter touched the car’s side rear-view mirror. What followed was a revenge chase, the accused took a U‐turn, chased for approximately two kilometres and deliberately rammed the bike.
Who Are the Accused
In this case of Bengaluru road rage murder, the main accused are-
- Manoj Kumar, around 32–36 years old (reports differ), a martial-arts (Kalaripayattu) trainer, residing in the Arakere/Gottigere area of Bengaluru.
- His wife, Aarati Sharma (sometimes spelled Arathi Sharma, age ~30 years), who accompanied him and later returned to the scene wearing a mask to retrieve broken car parts.
The motive appears to be sheer rage triggered by the mirror damage. The police indicated that after the brush, the accused reversed his car, took a U-turn, then pursued and deliberately crashed into the two-wheeler.
The fact that the accused returned masked to collect car fragments suggests conscious destruction of evidence.
How the Chase and Crash Unfolded
The Mirror Brush
According to investigation details, Darshan’s scooter lightly brushed the right rear-view mirror of Manoj’s car. Though the brush was minor, it triggered the deadly incident.
The Pursuit
Rather than stopping, the accused took a U-turn and chased the two-wheeler for nearly 2 kilometres through the Puttenahalli / JP Nagar area.
CCTV footage reportedly captured this chase, which transformed the case from a mere accident to deliberate murder.
The Fatal Ram
The car rammed Darshan’s scooter from behind with sufficient force to hurl both riders off the vehicle. Darshan died on the spot; his pillion rider was injured and rushed to hospital.
Escape and Return
After the crash, the accused initially fled the scene. According to police, they returned wearing masks and retrieved broken car parts. This act points to pre-meditation or at least awareness of wrongdoing.
Charges, Evidence & Investigation
For this case of Bengaluru road rage murder, the local police have treated the matter very seriously.
- The matter was transferred from the traffic police to the Puttenahalli police station, where a murder case under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) has been registered.
- The accused are arrested and remanded to judicial custody.
- Key evidence: CCTV footage showing chase and deliberate hit; broken car parts to link accident to the car; chase path of two kilometres.
The Police Statement
Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) Lokesh Jagalasar confirmed the chase, the U-turn, and the deliberate crash after the mirror-brush.
Charges & Sections
Although differing reports give slightly varying ages and details, the core register is:
- Murder (intentional act)
- Attempt to murder (for the pillion rider injured)
- Destruction of evidence (returning to collect broken car parts)
All under relevant sections of the BNS.
Road Rage Culture in Bengaluru
This tragic episode of Bengaluru road rage murder is a stark reminder of how small triggers can escalate into fatal violence.
Rising Trend of Road Rage
In a related piece of data, over a recent 3½ year span, Bengaluru recorded 88 road-rage cases and 123 arrests, including 17 designated as ‘C-rowdy sheeters’ for violent behaviour.
Delivery Workers at Risk
The victim in this case was a gig-worker/delivery boy, highlighting how vulnerable delivery agents are in traffic confrontations.
Other cases in the city, too, involving delivery agents show the same pattern: minor collision → argument → violence.
Mirror Brushes, Minor Collisions – Big Fallout
What is striking is how tiny incidents—mirror brushes, vehicle touches, rain-splashes—can convert into full-blown road-rage attacks. In this case, the brush to a mirror triggered a 2-km chase and death.
Need for Awareness & Enforcement
This incident suggests strong need for-
- Better public awareness about staying calm after traffic incidents
- Rapid escalation of camera-footage review and swift police action
- Protection and legal safeguards for vulnerable road users
Questions Unanswered
- Did the accused have any prior history of aggressive driving or road-rage incidents
- Was alcohol or substance involvement ruled out by police?
- What is the status of the injured pillion rider’s recovery?
- Have the broken car parts retrieved been forensically analysed to link conclusively to the accused’s vehicle?
- Will any systemic measures be announced by Bengaluru Police to deter such intentional traffic violence?
Bengaluru road rage murder is both horrifying and instructive. A seemingly trivial mirror-brush triggered a deadly chase, and a delivery agent lost his life in what amounts to pre-meditated vehicular violence. As the accused couple faces justice, the case lays bare the larger hazard of unchecked road rage in India’s cities. The focus must shift beyond single incidents to culture, enforcement and protection of road-users.
