The rented Mahindra Thar that rammed into a car in North Goa earlier this week, killing a 65-year-old tourist from Bhopal, was being driven by a 19-year-old man — the only male among the five occupants — and not a woman as initially alleged, Goa Police said on Wednesday.
The driver, identified as Shaurya Goyal from Hauz Khas in Delhi, has been booked under sections 106 (1) (causing death by negligence), 125 (act endangering life or personal safety of others) and 281 (rash driving) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, police said, adding that he was arrested on Tuesday and later released on bail.
“We have confirmed that the vehicle was being driven by the 19-year-old male. We have footage taken from CCTV cameras along the route showing him at the wheel prior to the crash,” Anjuna police station inspector Suraj Gawas said. “He was arrested and since it is a bailable offence was released on bail.”
According to police, the accident took place at around 5.45pm on Monday evening at the Happy Bar junction in Assagao, as the Delhi-based group were travelling towards Anjuna, a coastal village in Goa.
In a statement, Goa Police said: “The accused, Shaurya Goyal (19 yrs), driver of Mahindra Thar bearing No. GA-03-V-5695, while proceeding from Mapusa to Anjuna, allegedly drove the vehicle in a rash and negligent manner and lost control at the junction, colliding with Hyundai i-20 bearing No. GA-08-AB-6685. Due to the impact, Bhagat Ram Sharma (65 yrs), resident of Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, was declared dead at District Hospital, Mapusa.”
{{/usCountry}}In a statement, Goa Police said: “The accused, Shaurya Goyal (19 yrs), driver of Mahindra Thar bearing No. GA-03-V-5695, while proceeding from Mapusa to Anjuna, allegedly drove the vehicle in a rash and negligent manner and lost control at the junction, colliding with Hyundai i-20 bearing No. GA-08-AB-6685. Due to the impact, Bhagat Ram Sharma (65 yrs), resident of Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, was declared dead at District Hospital, Mapusa.”
{{/usCountry}}Police confirmed that the driver of the vehicle was not under the influence of alcohol at the time of the accident. “We conducted a medical examination of the accused and it was found to be negative for alcohol consumption,” Gawas said
Officials said that both the vehicles have been seized, and while the accused was arrested on Tuesday, he was released on bail.
A local who had witnessed the accident had earlier claimed that the Thar was being driven by a woman, who later switched seats with Goyal. “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,” Myron Fernandes had told reporters at the scene.