Dehradun accident: 'Please don't drink & drive' urge Indians as victims' last video before fatal crash emerges

A video circulating on social media captures the moments leading up to a tragic accident in Dehradun, which resulted in the deaths of six students and left one critically injured. The clip shows the group of friends enjoying themselves, with some holding drinks and dancing to music, while one girl is seen pouring a drink for another seated on a sofa. The footage is believed to have been taken shortly before the group left in an Innova car, which later met with a fatal crash at ONGC Chowk.

The victims included Guneet Kumari (19), Navya Goyal (23), and Kamakshi (20), all girls from different areas in Dehradun. The boys who lost their lives were Kunal Kukreja (23) from Chamba, Himachal Pradesh, Atul Agarwal (24), and Rishabh Jain (24), both from Dehradun.

What happened on the night of November 11-12?

 

A devastating car accident in Dehradun early Tuesday morning claimed six lives and left one person critically injured. The incident occurred around 1:30 am at ONGC Chowk when a speeding Innova rammed into the back of a container truck, reducing the car to a mangled heap, according to police reports.
Circle Officer (City) Neeraj Semwal stated that the six victims—three men and three women, all below the age of 25—died instantly. The sole survivor, 25-year-old Siddhesh Agrawal, is in critical condition and receiving treatment at Synergy Hospital.

Preliminary investigations indicate that the container truck driver was not responsible for the accident. The speeding multi-utility vehicle (MUV) reportedly crashed into the truck's rear left section, an area often considered a blind spot for large vehicles.

Police revealed on Thursday that CCTV footage showed the vehicle maintaining a normal speed while passing through areas such as Rajpur Road, Saharanpur Chowk, Balliwala, and Ballupur. However, the car abruptly accelerated as it neared the ONGC intersection, ultimately resulting in the crash.

A businessman alerted authorities of an out-of-control vehicle

A police officer involved in the investigation revealed to TOI that CCTV footage and eyewitness accounts indicate the MUV was traveling at over 100 kmph at the time of the crash. The impact was so severe that the car's roof was torn off, tragically decapitating two of the occupants on the spot, the officer said.

Meanwhile, a local restaurant owner told TOI that he believes he saw the same speeding MUV driving on the wrong side of Rajpur Road near Pacific Mall around 1 a.m. while returning home from an event with his family. "The car was coming towards us at high speed. I managed to steer away just in time to avoid a head-on collision. Concerned, I approached the police stationed at the barricade near the Mussoorie diversion and urged them to stop the vehicle, but they didn’t act," he recounted.

Fearing for the safety of other road users, he called the police emergency number at 1:34 a.m. to report the incident. Later, at 2:32 a.m., he emailed the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), District Magistrate (DM), home ministry, and CM helpline, highlighting the police's inaction. "When I heard about the accident in the morning, I realized it was the same car that had almost collided with mine," he added.

Police's response and no complaint from families yet

The families of the six students who lost their lives in a road accident in Dehradun have not yet lodged a formal complaint with the police, which could prompt the authorities to initiate action, according to The Times of India. Meanwhile, the police are consulting legal experts on the appropriate steps to take, as preliminary findings indicate that the truck driver was not responsible for the collision. 

Inspector KC Bhatt of Cantt police station stated that they are awaiting a formal complaint from the victims' families before proceeding to register a case, according to the report.

Statistics on drunk driving deaths in India

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) reported 461,312 road accidents in India during 2022, with approximately 70% involving individuals aged 18-45. Notably, 10,080 of these accidents were attributed to drunk driving, leading to 4,201 deaths and 8,809 injuries. These figures underscore the critical need for stricter measures to curb this preventable cause of road fatalities.

Video of victims drinking and partying before fatal crash surfaces:

 

Shock and demand for stringent drink and drive laws

The tragic car accident in Dehradun, which claimed the lives of six young individuals, has sparked shock and outrage, reigniting calls for stricter laws against drunk driving. The incident highlights the devastating consequences of impaired driving, as preliminary investigations suggest the vehicle was traveling at excessive speeds before crashing into a stationary truck. The incident has prompted demands from citizens and road safety advocates for more stringent enforcement of existing laws.

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