Cyclist who died after collision with bin lorry in central London named
A cyclist who was killed in a collision with a bin lorry in central London has been named.
Cheistha Kochhar, 33, was on her way home from LSE, where she was a student, when she was fatally injured in Clerkenwell on 19 March.
She died at the scene on Clerkenwell Road at the junction with A201 Farringdon Road.
Ms Kochhar was pursuing a PhD in Behavioural Studies in London.
Her father Dr SP Kochhar, Director General of Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) wrote online: “Trying to collect the remains of my daughter, Cheistha Kochhar.
“She was run over by a truck on 19 Mar while cycling back from LSE, where she was doing her PhD.”
He said her death “has devastated us and her large circle of friends”.
Cheistha Kochar worked with me on the #LIFE programme in @NITIAayog She was in the #Nudge unit and had gone to do her Ph.D in behavioural science at #LSE
Passed away in a terrible traffic incident while cycling in London. She was bright, brilliant & brave and always full of… pic.twitter.com/7WyyklhsTA— Amitabh Kant (@amitabhk87) March 23, 2024
Amitabh Kant, former CEO of NITI Aayog, said Ms Kochhar had worked with him at a policy think tank in India, NITI Aayog.
He wrote on X: “She was bright, brilliant & brave and always full of life. Gone away too early. RIP.”
A tribute page made for Ms Kochhar has gained dozens of messages, with friends, admirers and colleagues alike posting words of condolence and farewell.
Hyun-Jung Lee, a professor at LSE, said Ms Kochhar was in her Organisational Behaviour class last year.She wrote: “Cheistha was curious and actively engaged in discussion thus helped bring the entire class to a next level.
“Whenever I saw her she brightened up my day with her trade-mark smile and optimism.
“She was way ahead of the game such that she was already in the process of consolidating her dissertation structure at such an early stage. We OB community lost a promising young scholar. We will miss her terribly.”
The Metropolitan Police has appealed for for witnesses and any road users with dashcam footage following the incident.
In a statement, the Met Police said: “Officers were called at 20.18hrs on Tuesday, 19 March to reports of a collision involving a lorry and a cyclist on Clerkenwell Road, near the junction with Farringdon Road.
“Officers attended along with paramedics from London Ambulance Service.”
Anyone who witnessed this incident, or road users who have footage which captured events, are asked to call 101 or 02082469820 @MetCC and quote CAD6903/19Mar.
