Vadodara Car Accident Accused Rakshit Chaurasia Blames Pothole, Says ' Was Not Drunk, Driving At 50 Kmph' (VIDEO)

Vadodara: The 20-year-old law student, Rakshit Chaurasia, who rammed a speeding car into two-wheelers in Gujarat's Vadodara on the intervening night of March 13 and 14, killing one woman and injuring several others, blamed a pothole for the accident. While speaking to the media, Chaurasia denied that he was drunk. He also claimed that he was driving at a speed of 50 km/hr and his view was blocked due to an emergency airbag.

“We were going ahead of the scooty, we were turning right and there was a pothole on the road. There was a scooty and a car while we were turning right... The car slightly touched the other vehicle and the airbag opened suddenly, our vision was hampered and the car went out of control,” the law student told ANI.

“We were going at 50 km/hour. There were no people at that time, just a scooter and a car...I had no idea. I did not do any party, I went for Holika Dahan and was not drunk... Today, I was told that one woman has died and a few have sustained injuries. I want to meet the family of the victims, it is my fault and whatever they want that should happen,” he added. Chaurasia’s face appeared to be swollen and was full of bruises.

Rakshit Chaurasia's Statement:

A woman was killed on the spot and four others sustained injuries when a speeding car driven by the 20-year-old law student crashed into their two-wheelers. The accident occurred around 12.30 am near Muktanand crossroads in the Karelibaug area following which the driver, Rakshit Chaurasiya, was arrested, said Deputy Commissioner of Police Panna Momaya.

A video of the incidents also went viral on social media. Eyewitnesses reported that the vehicle took a sharp turn, which caused it to hit the two-wheeler. The CCTV footage shows that the car was at high speed.

In the video, Chaurasia was apparently drunk as he was seen behaving erratically, shouting Another round, “Another round”, then a girl’s name, “Nikita, Nikita”, before suddenly chanting “Om Namah Shivay”.

It could be a case of drunk driving as eyewitnesses, who caught Chaurasiya at the scene, told the police that he appeared intoxicated and was screaming "another round, another round" after coming out of the car, Deputy Commissioner of Police Panna Momaya said.

The deceased woman has been identified as Hemali Patel, who was riding her scooter at the time of the accident.

Who Is Rakshit Chaurasia?

Chaurasia, who originally hails from Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, is a law student and lives in a PG accommodation, Momaya told reporters. His father is a businessman in Varanasi.

Chaurasia was driving a Volkswagen Virtus GT Plus black car with the number plate - GJ06RA687

"The car belonged to his friend Meet Chauhan, who was sitting in the co-driver's seat when Chaurasiya rammed the car into some two-wheelers at full speed while going towards Muktanand circle," she said as reported by ANI.

Efforts are being made to track down Chauhan.