Former Indian Olympian escapes unhurt in road accident
On Thursday, December 12, India’s celebrated sprinter Dutee Chand escaped unhurt in a road accident after a truck hit her car near OMP Square in Odisha's Cuttack while she was returning to the state’s capital Bhubaneshwar.
The police confirmed that Dutee was returning to Bhubaneshwar from her native district Jajpur along with a friend. A speeding truck collided with her luxury vehicle, a BMW, which was damaged significantly. However, she and her friend were rescued safely.
Speaking about the accident, Dutee Chand said the truck driver intentionally hit her vehicle and fled away from the spot. Upon contacting the police, they swiftly acted, detained the driver, and seized the vehicle.
"We were on our way to Bhubaneswar from Jajpur. Near OMP Square, just before reaching Cuttack Link Road, a truck driver was honking aggressively at us. When we looked out, he was shouting abuses. We gave him way, but he intentionally rammed our vehicle and sped off. I chased him down near Kathajodi Bridge and called the PCR. The police arrived swiftly and ensured our safety," Dutee said (as quoted by Deccan Chronicle).
"The driver has been detained, and his vehicle seized. Considering how forcefully he hit our car, I believe we were fortunate to be in a BMW. The outcome could have been much worse in a less sturdy vehicle,” she went on to add.
Dutee Chand failed a dope test in 2022
It's worth noting that Dutee had tested positive for a concoction of three Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators in an out-of-competition dope test in Bhubaneshwar in December 2022. National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) was quick to ban her for four years.
The 100m and 200m silver medallist at the Asian Games 2018 and the fastest woman at the World Univesity Games, Italy, in 2019, Dutee’s suspension was in the act from January 2023. Though the athlete appealed the decision, NADA's Appeal Panel (ADAP) upheld the four-year ban.
In 2024, Dutee Chand decided to retire from the sport, saying she was growing old and was no longer as fast as she used to be. She is also the first Indian athlete to openly come out as a member of the LGBTQ+ community (in 2019) as she revealed that she was in a same-sex relationship.