Speeding luxury car hits guardrail on Red Road during R-Day rehearsal, brings back 2016 tragedy

A high-speed luxury car sparked panic on Red Road on Saturday morning during a dress rehearsal for the upcoming Republic Day parade. At approximately 7:30 am, a black Skoda Octavia reportedly bypassed security checks and sped toward the parade zone. Alert police personnel attempted to intercept the vehicle, causing the driver to lose control and ram into a guardrail. While the car sustained damage, there were no reported casualties, and the vehicle was quickly surrounded by the Maidan Police Station officers.

Inside the car, eyewitnesses reported seeing three to four young children alongside the driver. Upon inspection, investigators found significant discrepancies in the vehicle's documentation, including expired insurance and pollution certificates. The driver was immediately taken into custody, and the car was seized for further forensic examination. Authorities are currently investigating whether the breach was a result of a navigational error or a deliberate act of recklessness.

The incident has brought back haunting memories of the 2016 tragedy on the same road, where 21-year-old Air Force Corporal Abhimanyu Gaud was mowed down by a speeding Audi during a similar rehearsal. In that case, the vehicle, allegedly driven by Sambia Sohrab, had crashed through multiple layers of barricades before fatally hitting the drill instructor. Today’s accident has raised fresh concerns regarding the effectiveness of the "four-layer" bamboo and iron guardrail system implemented by the Kolkata Police to prevent such security lapses.