Netizens outraged as Vadodara hit-and-run accused gives interviews after accident, claims innocence

A woman was killed on the spot, and four others suffered serious injuries as a speeding car, driven by a 20-year-old Chaurasia, rammed into two-wheelers near Muktanand crossroad in the Karelibaug area of Gujarat’s Vadodara at 12.30 am on Friday.

Videos recorded by eyewitnesses showed his friend, the co-driver and vehicle owner, exiting the car and quickly shifting blame for the accident on Chaurasia, a native of Uttar Pradesh’s Varanasi.

Also read | Vadodara: Who is Rakshit Chaurasia, accused law student seen screaming ‘another round’ after fatal car crash

The accused, now under police custody, was seen shouting, “Another round? Another round?” in the video, which raised suspicions that he was under the influence of alcohol. He was also thrashed by bystanders.

In CCTV footage accessed by media, the speeding car can be seen hitting two scooters, knocking down the riders and dragging them along before coming to a halt.

Chaurasia feels ‘sorry’ for what he did

Speaking to a media outlet, Chaurasia expressed regret for the accident and termed it as an “understatement”. The accused said he wants to meet the family of the deceased and say sorry, “which is a very small word”.

“I ruined someone’s life,” he said.

Explaining how he allegedly lost control while driving, he said, “The car was automatic… when the airbags opened, I panicked and pressed the accelerator instead of brakes.”

When asked about the girl’s name he screamed after getting out off the car, he said he randomly shouted a name “in a state of panic” and also denied being drunk at the time of the incident.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Panna Momaya said, “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,” adding that Chaurasiya does have a driving licence.

Social media slams ‘interview’

Chaurasia claiming innocence drew the ire of social media. A user named Tanmoy wrote on X, “Is He Now Released From Police Custody? A Brutal Crime Accused Is Holding A Press Meet,” he said.

“And even if He is not released, The Same Question remains, Who Gave Permission to Hold a Press Meet to an accused,” he asked.

Another user drew comparisons with the Pune hit-and-run case in which the teenage accused was released by a juvenile court on a condition that he write an essay on road safety.

“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,” he post read.