Goa Thar accident: FIR names teen driver, eyewitness alleges seat swap
An elderly tourist was killed after an SUV, allegedly driven by a 19-year-old, rammed into his i20 in North Goa; eyewitness claims a woman was at the wheel
A road accident in North Goa that killed a 65-year-old man has taken a twist as the details of the FIR and the eyewitness account offer contrasting versions.
According to the copy of the FIR accessed by NDTV, Shaurya Goyal (19), a tourist from Delhi, was behind the wheel of the rented Mahindra Thar that rammed a Hyundai i20. Goyal was allegedly driving from Mapusa to Anjuna in a "rash and negligent manner without proper care and caution endangering human life," the FIR read.
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However, an eyewitness alleged that the occupants of the Thar attempted to switch seats immediately after the collision.
Goyal, the prime accused, according to the FIR, was seen with a woman hiding her face even as he dialled his father and stepped out of the car. The post-accident video also showed three more women in the rear seats of the SUV.
Eyewitness account
According to an eyewitness, a woman was driving the car, and an attempt had been made to safeguard her. "First, a girl was driving, then the driver was changed. This car was coming from Mapusa and the people were from Vinayak," an eyewitness said.
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Goyal allegedly lost control of his vehicle and rammed into Bhagat Ram Sharma's Hyundai i20 car near the Happy Bar junction in Assagao. Sharma, a tourist from Bhopal, was driving from Assagao to the Parra village side via the junction.
The video shows severe damage to both vehicles.
Police action
Sharma was rushed to a nearby hospital, but doctors declared him dead. Police said two other occupants of the hatchback, including an infant, sustained minor injuries in the accident.
Police have seized the rented vehicle and registered a case of rash and negligent driving causing death. Allegations of a 'driver switch' are being investigated, based on the eyewitness account.
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Goyal was arrested on Wednesday (February 25) and got bail within an hour.