Goa Thar crash: Police say rented car was being driven by 19-yr-old male

The 19-year-old was booked for causing death on account of rash and negligent driving under section 106(1) of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS)

The Goa Police on Wednesday said that they have confirmed that the rented Thar that crashed into a hatchback on Monday, was being driven by 19-year-old Shaurya Goyal, the lone male member in the group of five travelling together and not a woman as claimed earlier.

A senior citizen, a resident of Bhopal who was on a holiday in Goa was killed. (Representative file photo)

Shaurya, was booked for causing death on account of rash and negligent driving under section 106(1) of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS), for rash driving or riding on a public way under section 281, and for acts endangering life or personal safety of others under section 125 of the BNS at Anjuna police station.

“We have confirmed that the vehicle was being driven by the 19-year-old male. He was arrested and since it is a bailable offence was released on bail,” Suraj Gawas, police inspector of Anjuna Police Station, said.

A senior citizen, a resident of Bhopal who was on a holiday in Goa was killed after a rented Thar SUV carrying a group of young tourists rammed into them at a crossroad junction at Assagao in North Goa on Monday.

The victim, identified as Bhagat Sharma, 65, was driving a Hyundai i20 when the Thar, said to be speeding rammed into him, leaving him severely injured.

However, eyewitness accounts from the accident scene suggested that a young woman was driving the Thar and later switched seats.

“There was a woman driving the Thar, the vehicle was speeding and it crashed into the white hatchback. I helped the victims from the vehicle. There was an elderly man who was severely injured, especially on the head and skull,” eyewitness Myron Fernandes had told reporters at the scene.