A schoolteacher had a close shave when a speeding SUV, carrying men in military fatigue, rammed into her hatchback in the heart of Ranchi on Monday afternoon.

The SUV, which sped away after the accident near Raj Bhavan, had no number plate. No FIR had been lodged against the unidentified vehicle till the filing of this report.

According to eyewitnesses, the mishap took place around 1.55pm on Booty Road, which is barely a kilometre from Raj Bhavan and a stone's throw from the official residence of Ranchi SSP Kuldeep Dwivedi. There were three men in the SUV - one in plainclothes who bossed around two others in uniform and with guns. All the men sported crew-cut hairstyle, which is easily associated with security personnel.

The victim, DPS-Ranchi English teacher Keya Chakraborty, said she was bound for Lalpur when the white Bolero crushed her red Nano from behind. The intensity of collision was so huge that the hatchback was turned into a mass of mangled metal, its right front wheel twisted and punctured at the same time.

"The average speed of my car was around 50kmph. I stepped on the brake pedal when a biker tried to overtake me. The SUV was some 100ft behind me then, but in top gear. The man behind the wheel did not apply brake and the SUV rammed into my car," Chakraborty said, adding that the sudden jerk had left her with an aching back that might need medical assistance.

Instead of tendering an apology for reckless driving, the SUV driver "who looked like a military officer" allegedly misbehaved with the teacher. When this correspondent intervened, the man shot back, "You do your job. It is not our fault. That lady doesn't know how to drive."

Chakraborty stood her ground and demanded compensation for the damage caused to her car. A traffic bottleneck ensued. But, the man in plain clothes directed his gun-toting juniors to clear the way and the SUV soon sped away towards Karamtoli Chowk before traffic cops made it to the accident site.

A Tiger Mobile unit sought a complaint from Chakraborty. "I want to lodge an FIR, but who should I name as accused? The SUV had no registration number," she sounded helpless.

The Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, prescribes a fine of up to Rs 5,000 for driving without a number plate or with fake registration. A repeat offender can be sent to prison for a year, besides being asked to pay a fine up to Rs 10,000.

Ranchi traffic DSP Dilip Khalkho promised to look into the matter.