NT Reporter
Panaji
In what appears to be a case of alleged drunk driving, a teenager died and two others were injured after the car they were travelling in caught fire following an accident on the national highway near Sainik Aaramghar, Bambolim, in the early hours of Saturday.
Police said the car was proceeding towards Margao when the accident occurred at around 3.45 am. The deceased, Yash Mehta, 19, a resident of Margao, was seated in the back seat. Police said Mehta was a student at a college in North Goa.
The driver, Harsh Jain, 18, a resident of Margao, and the front-seat passenger, Tanish Puri, 18, a resident of Raia, suffered injuries in the accident.
Police said the driver was proceeding from Panaji towards Goa Velha when he allegedly drove the car in a rash and negligent manner.
Upon reaching near Sainik Aaramghar on NH 66, he apparently lost control of the vehicle and crashed into the crash barrier. The vehicle then veered onto the service road and caught fire due to the impact of the collision.
While Jain and Puri managed to get out of the vehicle, Mehta was unable to escape. Jain and Puri, along with a passer-by, later managed to rescue him from the vehicle.
However, Mehta was declared dead after being taken to GMC, Bambolim.
Police said Mehta had suffered partial burn injuries and, according to the post-mortem examination, the cause of death was accidental injuries.
It is learnt that the three students were returning to Margao after visiting a nightclub in Panaji
An Agassaim police team reached the site soon after the accident, while fire personnel from the Panaji fire station also arrived and doused the flames. The car was completely damaged in the fire.
