A tragic accident occurred in Vadodara on the evening before Holi, claiming the life of 35-year-old Hemali Patel and critically injuring her husband, 40-year-old Purav Patel. The couple was riding a scooter with their daughter after Holika Dahan, buying colors and food, when a speeding car hit them in the Karelibaug area. The crash also injured their daughter and five others.
The car was driven by Rakshit Chaurasia, a law student at MS University, with his friend Pranshu Chouhan in the passenger seat. Witnesses said Rakshit appeared intoxicated, and a video of him after the accident showed him shouting incoherently. Enraged by the incident, a crowd beat him before police arrived. He has been charged with culpable homicide not amounting to murder, while police are searching for his friend Pranshu.
Rakshit denied being drunk or speeding, claiming that a pothole caused the accident and that airbags obstructed his vision. However, one of the injured victims, Vikas Kevlani, stated that the car was moving at high speed when it hit them. Vikas, who was riding with his siblings and neighbors, including the Patels, said such incidents won’t stop unless strict action is taken. He vowed to seek justice for Hemali, saying that people must understand the consequences of reckless driving.
