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Vadodara Car Crash: CCTV Reveals Accused Rakshit Chaurasia Insisted on Driving Before Tragic Accident
In a shocking turn of events, the CCTV footage from before the fatal crash that has surfaced, suggests that Rakshit Chaurasia, the 23-year-old law student accused of the Vadodara car crash, may have insisted on driving the car and persuaded his friend, Pranshu Chauhan, to switch seats.
Timeline of events leading to the crash:
The CCTV footage that has surfaced, show the events leading up to the fatal car crash. According to the captured footage, the prime accused, Rakshit Chaurasia and his friend Suresh Bharwad can be seen arriving at Suresh Bharwad's house on a scooter around 10:33 pm on Thursday. Rakshit is seen riding the scooter while Suresh rode pillion. After parking the scooter, the two head inside Suresh’s house. Rakshit is seen holding a bottle; however, the contents remain unclear.
About 15 minutes later, Pranshu Chauhan arrives at the house in the sedan, parks the car, and heads inside. At 11:25 pm, Rakshit and Pranshu are seen walking down the stairs together. As Pranshu gets into the car, Rakshit walks toward him, and a brief obstruction blocks the view. However, Pranshu is later seen talking to Rakshit before shifting to the seat next to the driver. It appears that Rakshit insisted on driving, as he then takes the wheel, and the car begins moving shortly before the crash.
The aftermath of the crash was captured in a video, showing the front of the car severely damaged and its airbags deployed. In the video, Pranshu can be heard asking his friend to move as Rakshit attempts to hold him. Pranshu exits the vehicle, calling Rakshit “pagal” (mad). Rakshit, in a dazed state, begins shouting phrases like "another round," "Nikita," and "Om Namah Shivay" before the crowd starts to beat him.
The police confirmed that Rakshit and Pranshu switched seats before the crash, but whether Rakshit insisted on the change remains under investigation. Police Commissioner Narasimha Komar stated that the matter is still being looked into.
Following his arrest, Rakshit Chaurasia, in a statement to the media, denied being intoxicated or speeding at the time of the crash. “We were overtaking a scooter, and when we turned right, there was a pothole. The car brushed against another vehicle, and the airbag deployed. Our vision was obstructed, and the car went out of control,” he explained. He expressed remorse, saying, “I was told that one woman has died, and a few others have been injured. I want to meet the families of the victims, it is my fault.”
Rakshit, who hails from Prayagraj and studies at MS University in Vadodara, has been arrested and charged with culpable homicide not amounting to murder. The incident involved a Volkswagen Virtus sedan driven by Rakshit, which collided with three other vehicles. Hemali Patel, a 35-year-old woman, died on spot, and seven others sustained injuries.
