Indian student dies in London road accident

Cheistha Kochhar was hit by a garbage truck while cycling home. Though the police and paramedics rushed to the spot, she succumbed soon after

• Shajil Kumar
• 25 March, 2024

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By: Shajil Kumar

An Indian student pursuing her PhD at the London School of Economics died while cycling to her apartment last week.

The victim, Cheistha Kochhar (33), died on the spot after being hit by a garbage truck on March 19.

The accident took place on Clerkenwell Road, near the junction with Farringdon Road.

Her husband Prashant, a software engineer, was a few yards away on his bike and rushed to help Cheistha.

While the police and paramedics rushed to the spot, she succumbed soon after.

“Despite the efforts of emergency services, she died at the scene. Her next of kin has been informed,” the Met Police statement said.

“The lorry stopped at the scene and the driver is helping police with their enquiries. There has been no arrest and enquiries into the circumstances continue,” the statement said.

Before moving to the UK, Cheistha had worked with the Indian government’s public policy think-thank NITI Aayog.

She had worked there as a senior advisor at the National Behavioural Insights Unit of India

Cheistha has been a doctoral candidate at the LSE since September last year and was living with her husband

Her father Lt Gen (retired) SP Kochhar is in London to collect her body.

Bareilly-born Cheistha earned her Masters from the University of Chicago after studying at Ashoka University and Delhi University and completing her schooling in Delhi and various Army schools around India.