A tragic car accident in Vadodara, Gujarat, killed a woman and injured four others. The driver, 23-year-old Rakshit Ravish Chaurasia, car crashed into multiple two-wheelers late Thursday night. He denied being drunk and blamed potholes for losing control.
Crash and Arrest
The accident happened around 12:30 a.m. near Muktanand Crossroads in Karelibaug. Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Panna Momaya confirmed Chaurasia’s arrest soon after.
Eyewitnesses claimed Chaurasia looked intoxicated. They heard him shouting, “another round, another round” after stepping out of the car. Police suspect drunk driving.
Chaurasia’s Defense
Speaking to media, the accused, Rakshit Ravish Chaurasia, stated that they were driving ahead of a scooter and attempting to turn right when they encountered a pothole. He claimed that there was a scooter and a car nearby at the time, and as they made the turn, the car slightly touched the other vehicle. According to him, the sudden deployment of the airbag obstructed their vision, causing them to lose control of the car. Chaurasia asserted that they were traveling at a speed of 50 km/hour and that there were no pedestrians around, only a scooter and a car. He insisted that he had no prior knowledge of the accident’s severity and denied being under the influence of alcohol, explaining that he had attended a Holika Dahan ceremony and had not been partying. He further mentioned that he was only informed later that a woman had died and others had been injured. Expressing remorse, he admitted fault and stated that he wished to meet the victims’ families, adding that he would accept whatever consequences they think appropriate.
#WATCH | Vadodara, Gujarat: One woman has died, and four others are injured after an overspeeding four-wheeler rammed into a two-wheeler (14/03).
Accused Rakshit Ravish Chaurasia claims, " We were going ahead of the scooty, we were turning right and there was a pothole on the… pic.twitter.com/7UMundtDXH
— ANI (@ANI) March 15, 2025
Public Outrage on Social Media
Chaurasia’s claims angered social media users. Many questioned how an accused person was allowed to speak to the media.
A user named Tanmoy wrote on X, “Is He Now Released From Police Custody? A Brutal Crime Accused Is Holding A Press Meet.”
Another user compared it to the Pune hit-and-run case. “This is very shocking, police arrested & released Rakshit Ravish Chaurasia. He is studying law at MS University, killed one woman & injured 7 others after crashing his car into multiple 2-wheelers. Looks like Essay is downloading,” the post read.
Police Investigation
The victim, Hemali Patel, was riding her scooter when the accident happened.
Chaurasia, originally from Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, is a law student. He stays in a PG accommodation in Vadodara, DCP Momaya said.
The car belonged to his friend Mit Chauhan, who sat in the co-driver’s seat during the crash. Chaurasia allegedly hit multiple two-wheelers while heading toward Muktanand Circle.
Police are searching for Chauhan. Eyewitness video shows Chauhan stepping out of the wrecked car and blaming Chaurasia for the crash. Meanwhile, Chaurasia kept shouting, “Another round? Another round?” before bystanders thrashed him and handed him to the police.
CCTV footage shows the speeding car hitting two scooters. The impact knocked down riders and dragged them before stopping.
DCP Momaya confirmed the car was speeding. She also suspects drunk driving. “Primarily, the car was overspeeding. This can also be a case of drunk driving. We will conduct his medical test to determine whether he was under the influence of alcohol,” she said. Chaurasia does have a valid driving license.
