Watch: Toyota Fortuner fills with water after being driven into sea in Goa, 22-year-old owner booked

A case has been registered after a person drove an SUV into the sea in Goa, where it became lodged in the sand and had to be lifted out with the help of a crane

A case has been registered after a person drove an SUV into the sea in Goa, where it became lodged in the sand and had to be lifted out with the help of a crane. This incident marks yet another case of reckless driving and unruly behaviour by tourists in the coastal state.

The viral video

Water was seen gushing out of the Fortuner after it became stuck on a Goa beach

Footage of the Toyota Fortuner stuck on the beach was widely shared on social media, where the act was criticised by many viewers. (Also read: 2 college students drive Mahindra Thar into sea to make reels, get stranded in water)

According to a report in The Goan, the driver drove a Gujarat-registered vehicle onto Goa’s Vagator beach. The car became stuck in the sand. As the tide rose, water entered the vehicle.

Heavy machinery had to be deployed to pull the Fortuner out of the water. Visuals shared online show a JCB crane that was used in the rescue. The video also shows people opening the doors of the SUV, only to find water gushing out.

Anjuna Police registered an offence under Sections 281 and 125 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, along with relevant provisions of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules and the Motor Vehicles Act.

22-year-old car owner’s clarification

The owner of the vehicle was identified as 22-year-old Arjun Singh Rawat. He claimed that he had given his car to hotel staff to be washed, and had not authorized it to be driven to the beach.

“I had given the car for washing, not to be driven onto the beach,” he said, according to The Goan.

Police said that an investigation is underway to determine the sequence of events.Ultimately, the responsibility will rest with the driver rather than the owner of the car.