NAGPUR/ WARDHA: Seven students of Datta Meghe Institute of Medical SciencesSawangi, Wardhawere killed when their speeding SUV plunged 40-feet from a bridge into the dry rocky bed of Badhari river, outside Selsura village on Deoli-Wardha Road, shortly before Monday midnight. The bodies were recovered in a night-long operation.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted grief and solidarity with the family members of the deceased students, and announced compensation. Modi declared compensation of Rs2 lakh for the families of the deceased.
Avishkar Rahangdale, son of BJP MLA from Tirora in Gondia, who was first year student of MBBS, too was among the dead. The students had gone to celebrate a birthday, and were returning from Yavatmal when the accident took place around 20km away from Wardha. Birthday boy Pawan Shakti, first year MBBS student, also died.
The other deceased are Neetesh Singh, Niraj Chauhan, Pratyush Singh, Vivek Nandan, and Shubham Jaiswal. Except Rahangdale, the rest six hail from other states like Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Odisha. Final year student Vivek Nandan was the only one staying outside the college premises.
IG Chhering Dorje, who visited the accident spot with officials from National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), issued instructions to conduct survey for accident-prone spots on the highways and update status of ‘black spots’ between Nagpur and Yavatmal.
The seven friends had left the hostel in a car belonging to Niteesh Kumar Singh, an intern, late in the evening. Singh’s body was learned to be stuck below the heavily damaged car. Police had to toil several hours to retrieve the bodies strewn on the river bed. Even final year student Niraj Chauhan’s body was stuck inside the car, which was reduced to a mangled heap of iron and steel.
The ill-fated vehicle had just negotiated a turn on the highway, and was to continue on the lane towards Wardha. However, it veered towards the side of the bridge, broke through the periphery wall, and fell down. Police feel the vehicle was speeding at around 140-160 kmph.
Sarpanch of Selsura Sachin Kale told TOI the location where the accident took place is prone to such incidents. “The spot after the turning has witnessed 4-5 such incidents in the past two months. Any speeding vehicle here faces the danger of meeting with accident,” he said.
The college identity cards of the students helped the police identify their institution and alert the authorities. Sources said hostel authorities of Datta Meghe Institute of Medical Sciences had informed the parents of the deceased at 10.30pm that they were not present in the premises during the roll call.
Though cops are still unsure which hotel they visited, CCTV footage of a toll booth confirms the vehicle heading towards Wardha at around 10.30pm. Sources said the students had purchased handi chicken and some rotis from a dhaba at Deoli.
A senior police officer on night round had spotted the students’ vehicle with loud music playing inside and being driven at breakneck speed, around 3km from the accident spot. The officer had sent an alert message too, but the vehicle could not be spotted again by any patrolling cops.
SDPO Piyush Jagtap said the car’s bonnet had crumpled almost up to the middle seat due to the impact. “The doors of the car likely got thrown open with the impact of landing on the bonnet. The passengers were all thrown out on to the river bed rocks, leading to serious injuries which caused their deaths,” said Jagtap.
SP Prashant Holkar said an offense of rash and negligent driving causing death of others would be registered at Sawangi police station.
Senior inspector Balasaheb Thorat of Sawangi police station said local villagers extended support to police to find the accident spot and retrieve the bodies. “There were no eye-witnesses and we did not even know where the accident had actually taken place. The villagers had just heard some noise near the bridge and did not know anything beyond that,” said Thorat.
Police said parents of the deceased have been informed about the incident and they are on their way to Wardha.
BOX
NAMES OF DECEASED
Niraj Chauhan (24), Gorakhpur, UP (Final Part 1)
Vivek Nandan (24), Gaya, Bihar (Final Part 1)
Pawan Shakti (21), Gaya, Bihar ( First year)
Avishkar Rahangdale (21), Tiroda, Bhandara (First year)
Pratyush Singh (25), Gorakhpur, UP (Final Part 2)
Shubham Jaiswal (25), Chandauli, UP (Final Part 2)
Niteesh Kumar Singh (27), Jharsuguda, Odisha (Intern)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted grief and solidarity with the family members of the deceased students, and announced compensation. Modi declared compensation of Rs2 lakh for the families of the deceased.
Avishkar Rahangdale, son of BJP MLA from Tirora in Gondia, who was first year student of MBBS, too was among the dead. The students had gone to celebrate a birthday, and were returning from Yavatmal when the accident took place around 20km away from Wardha. Birthday boy Pawan Shakti, first year MBBS student, also died.
The other deceased are Neetesh Singh, Niraj Chauhan, Pratyush Singh, Vivek Nandan, and Shubham Jaiswal. Except Rahangdale, the rest six hail from other states like Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Odisha. Final year student Vivek Nandan was the only one staying outside the college premises.
IG Chhering Dorje, who visited the accident spot with officials from National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), issued instructions to conduct survey for accident-prone spots on the highways and update status of ‘black spots’ between Nagpur and Yavatmal.
The seven friends had left the hostel in a car belonging to Niteesh Kumar Singh, an intern, late in the evening. Singh’s body was learned to be stuck below the heavily damaged car. Police had to toil several hours to retrieve the bodies strewn on the river bed. Even final year student Niraj Chauhan’s body was stuck inside the car, which was reduced to a mangled heap of iron and steel.
The ill-fated vehicle had just negotiated a turn on the highway, and was to continue on the lane towards Wardha. However, it veered towards the side of the bridge, broke through the periphery wall, and fell down. Police feel the vehicle was speeding at around 140-160 kmph.
Sarpanch of Selsura Sachin Kale told TOI the location where the accident took place is prone to such incidents. “The spot after the turning has witnessed 4-5 such incidents in the past two months. Any speeding vehicle here faces the danger of meeting with accident,” he said.
The college identity cards of the students helped the police identify their institution and alert the authorities. Sources said hostel authorities of Datta Meghe Institute of Medical Sciences had informed the parents of the deceased at 10.30pm that they were not present in the premises during the roll call.
Though cops are still unsure which hotel they visited, CCTV footage of a toll booth confirms the vehicle heading towards Wardha at around 10.30pm. Sources said the students had purchased handi chicken and some rotis from a dhaba at Deoli.
A senior police officer on night round had spotted the students’ vehicle with loud music playing inside and being driven at breakneck speed, around 3km from the accident spot. The officer had sent an alert message too, but the vehicle could not be spotted again by any patrolling cops.
SDPO Piyush Jagtap said the car’s bonnet had crumpled almost up to the middle seat due to the impact. “The doors of the car likely got thrown open with the impact of landing on the bonnet. The passengers were all thrown out on to the river bed rocks, leading to serious injuries which caused their deaths,” said Jagtap.
SP Prashant Holkar said an offense of rash and negligent driving causing death of others would be registered at Sawangi police station.
Senior inspector Balasaheb Thorat of Sawangi police station said local villagers extended support to police to find the accident spot and retrieve the bodies. “There were no eye-witnesses and we did not even know where the accident had actually taken place. The villagers had just heard some noise near the bridge and did not know anything beyond that,” said Thorat.
Police said parents of the deceased have been informed about the incident and they are on their way to Wardha.
BOX
NAMES OF DECEASED
Niraj Chauhan (24), Gorakhpur, UP (Final Part 1)
Vivek Nandan (24), Gaya, Bihar (Final Part 1)
Pawan Shakti (21), Gaya, Bihar ( First year)
Avishkar Rahangdale (21), Tiroda, Bhandara (First year)
Pratyush Singh (25), Gorakhpur, UP (Final Part 2)
Shubham Jaiswal (25), Chandauli, UP (Final Part 2)
Niteesh Kumar Singh (27), Jharsuguda, Odisha (Intern)
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