Vadodara crash: Injured man says accused was overspeeding for ‘fun’; CCTV shows him holding bottle before accident

A survivor of the Vadodara car crash, which killed one woman and injured four others, has alleged that the accused, Rakshit Chaurasia, was overspeeding for “enjoyment” before ramming into multiple vehicles in the early hours of Friday. The 20-year-old law student was arrested after locals caught him at the accident site.

Vikas Kewalani, one of the injured, stated that Chaurasia appeared intoxicated and was recklessly speeding. "He was doing it for fun. This can’t be controlled with just a fine; strict action is needed," Kewalani said. He added that his brother and sister sustained fractures in the accident, while another injured victim, Hemali Patel, lost her life. Patel’s husband remains in critical condition.

CCTV footage from minutes before the accident has surfaced, showing Chaurasia and his friend, Pranshu, arriving on a scooter at a residence. The footage captures Chaurasia holding a bottle before entering the house. Reports state the duo spent around 45 minutes inside before leaving in the black sedan involved in the crash. Chaurasia took the driver’s seat, while Pranshu sat in the passenger seat.

Eyewitnesses at the accident site claimed that Chaurasia, after stepping out of the crashed vehicle, was shouting, "On Namah Shivay" and “Another round, another round!” The speeding sedan had collided with multiple two-wheelers, throwing some victims into the air. The impact left four people seriously injured, and Patel was declared dead on the spot.

Chaurasia has denied allegations of drunk driving, stating that he lost control of the car after hitting a pothole. "We were ahead of the scooty, turning right, and there was a pothole. The car slightly touched the two-wheeler, and the airbag opened suddenly, blocking my vision. The car then went out of control," he said. He claimed he was driving at only 50 kmph and had not consumed alcohol.

Following the accident, locals caught Chaurasia and Pranshu and handed them over to the police. Both were arrested, and an investigation is underway to determine the exact cause of the crash, including whether alcohol played a role.