The 20-year-old law student, whose car rammed nearby vehicles and passersby, causing the death of one person and injuring several others in Vadodara, told the police he could not see the road as airbags had deployed inside the vehicle.
The driver, Rakshit Chaurasiya, and his friend were returning from Dera Circle after dropping a friend with whom they had gone to witness Holika Dahan, a bonfire lit on the eve of Holi. “We were going ahead of a scooty, we were turning right and there was a pothole on the road. There was a scooty and a car parked near the right turn. Our car touched the scooter and the airbags opened. After that I couldn’t tell where the car went,” he said, adding that the car was at the speed of 50-60 kmph at the time of the accident.
He also first said he had not consumed any intoxicants, but later admitted to consuming bhaang (cannabis). He also urged to meet the family of the victims and said that the accident was his fault. “I was told that one woman has died and a few have sustained injuries. I want to meet the family of the victims, it is my fault and whatever they want should happen,” he added.
A video of the incident from Thursday night went viral, showing the car crashing into multiple vehicles at a busy intersection in Vadodara’s Karelibaug area. The crash resulted in the immediate death of one woman, later identified as Hemaliben Patel. The impact of the crash left three to four others seriously injured, including Jaini (12), Nishaben (35), an unidentified 10-year-old girl and an unidentified 40-year-old man.
Videos after the accident showed the driver’s friend emerging from the car, anguished at the accident caused by his friend. The driver then came out of the car, unstable and shouting incoherent sentences. He then repeatedly shouted “Another round” and “Om Namah Shivay”.
Leena Patil, Joint Commissioner of Police, confirmed that the driver was intoxicated and had been taken into custody. Vadodara Police Commissioner Narasimha Komar said that there were more than three vehicles involved in the incident, including two active vehicles and one EV (Electric Vehicle).
