The Law Must Stand With the Grieving: Justice for Shankar Chhetri and the Role of Legal Advocacy

Shankar Chhetri was 24 years old when a speeding car struck him on Sevoke Road, Siliguri, in the early hours of February 19, 2026, and drove away without stopping to render aid. The accused, Devangshu Palchoudhury, allegedly attempted to conceal his vehicle at a showroom to destroy evidence of his crime. What followed was not only a family’s grief — it became a test of whether the Indian legal system treats the lives of ordinary citizens with the same weight it accords the wealthy and powerful.[telegraphindia +1]

In the weeks since the incident, Shankar’s sister, Manu Chhetri, has emerged as the public face of this fight — standing before courts, speaking to the press, and refusing to let her brother’s death become another forgotten statistic. Her courage, however, has come at a cost. The family has reported that they were threatened and pressured to withdraw the case, with a man visiting the family home under the guise of a media introduction before warning them to abandon the matter or face serious consequences. A formal complaint was lodged at Kharibari police station.[youtube +1]

The rally called for June 17, 2026, requesting all Gorkhas and the youth of Gen Z to participate, is a democratic and legitimate expression of this community’s collective demand for accountability. It is not a call for provocation; it is a call for presence — the kind of presence that reminds the justice system that the people are watching.[telegraphindia +1]

The Law’s Obligation

India’s legal framework does not leave victims’ families without recourse. Under Article 39A of the Constitution, free and competent legal services are guaranteed to those who cannot afford them. The National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) provides this support at every level of the judiciary — from taluk courts to the Supreme Court — and its toll-free helpline, 15100, is accessible around the clock for anyone seeking urgent legal assistance.

In a case such as this, legal advocacy encompasses far more than courtroom appearances. It includes ensuring that FIRs are properly recorded and not diluted, filing timely applications opposing bail, documenting intimidation as a cognizable offence, petitioning for victim compensation through the State Legal Services Authority, and requesting witness protection where threats have been formally reported. Each of these steps is critical, and each requires knowledgeable support that a grieving family cannot be expected to navigate alone.

When a Family Is Threatened Into Silence

The intimidation faced by the Chhetri family is not an anomaly — it is a well-documented pattern in cases involving accused persons of significant social or economic standing. The law is unambiguous on this point: threatening a witness or complainant is a criminal act. Advocate Akhil Biswas, who has been representing the family, has rightly noted that since this is a criminal matter, the legal proceedings do not depend solely on the complainant’s willingness to continue — the state is the prosecutor, and justice cannot be negotiated away.[siliguritimes +2]

Darjeeling MP Raju Bista, who visited the family and demanded a fair, time-bound investigation, echoed this sentiment when he called for strict action and underscored that road safety and equal justice cannot remain the privilege of the few.[voiceofsikkim]

What the Community Must Do

Support for Manu Chhetri and her family must go beyond solidarity posters and social media shares. It must take the form of structured, lawful advocacy. Communities rallying around a case like this can assist by:

• Connecting the family to a District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) or NALSA panel lawyer immediately

• Helping maintain a comprehensive documentation file — police complaints, medical records, threat reports, court notices

• Ensuring media coverage remains factual, consistent, and legally responsible so as not to jeopardise the trial

• Mobilising civil society organisations and legal NGOs who can monitor case progress and flag procedural irregularities

A System Put to the Test

When a family is forced to fight not only for justice but against intimidation, when a sister must stand alone at a podium and ask whether the law applies equally to everyone — the system itself is on trial. The courts have already denied bail once and remanded the accused to police custody, which is a meaningful step. But one step is not a verdict, and a verdict is not the end.[telegraphindia]

The law must stand beside the grieving — not behind its own procedures. Justice for Shankar Chhetri is not just a family’s demand. It is a measure of what this society chooses to protect.

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