By The Sampadak Express
Rakshit Ravish Chaurasia, a 23-year-old law student, is accused of crashing his car into multiple vehicles late Thursday night in Vadodara, Gujarat, resulting in the death of a woman and leaving four others injured. Despite initial reports suggesting drunk driving, Chaurasia has denied being intoxicated and attributed the crash to potholes on the road.
The accident occurred around 12:30 AM near Muktanand Cross Roads in the Karelibaug area. According to Deputy Commissioner of Police Panna Momaya, Chaurasia was arrested at the scene. Eyewitnesses, however, told police that he appeared drunk, with one of them noting that he was heard screaming “another round, another round” after exiting the car.
Chaurasia, in a statement to the media, explained that he was driving at a speed of around 50 km/h when he lost control due to potholes. “I was not drunk,” he asserted, adding, “I want to meet the family of the deceased because it was my fault. Whatever they wish should happen.” He expressed deep regret for the incident, calling it an “understatement” and stressed that he was not intoxicated, having only attended a Holika Dahan celebration before the crash.
He further clarified that the car was automatic and when the airbags deployed, he panicked and accidentally pressed the accelerator instead of the brake. Chaurasia also denied yelling the name of a woman after the crash, explaining that he shouted randomly in a state of panic.
The victim has been identified as Hemali Patel, who was riding a scooter when the car struck her. Authorities are still trying to locate Chaurasia’s friend, Mit Chauhan, who was sitting in the co-driver’s seat at the time of the crash. In a video captured by an eyewitness, Chauhan can be seen blaming Chaurasia for the accident while the driver appears disoriented, shouting “Another round? Another round?” and getting beaten by bystanders before being handed over to the police.
Social media users have expressed outrage over Chaurasia’s claims of innocence. Some criticized the police for allowing him to hold a press conference despite being an accused in a fatal accident. Comparisons were drawn to other cases, such as the Pune hit-and-run, where a juvenile was released after writing an essay on road safety.
The car, owned by Chaurasia’s friend Mit Chauhan, was speeding when it collided with two scooters, dragging the riders along before halting. CCTV footage of the incident shows the car’s recklessness, with Chaurasia now facing scrutiny for potentially being under the influence of alcohol, despite his claims.
Chaurasia does hold a valid driving license, and authorities are conducting a medical test to determine if he was drunk at the time of the accident.
