A night out turned into a tragedy in Dehradun’s ONGC Chowk on Monday night when a speeding multi-utility vehicle (MUV), Innova, collided with a container truck, claiming the lives of six students. The victims, all residents of Dehradun except for Kunal Kukreja (23) from Chamba, Himachal Pradesh, were identified as Atul Agrawal (24), Rishabh Jain (24), Navya Goel (23), Kamakshi (20), and Guneet (19).
The sole survivor, Siddhesh Agrawal (25), who hosted the party the group was returning from, is hospitalised in stable condition but is unable to recount details of the incident, The Times of India reported.
What Dehradun police said
Inspector KC Bhatt from Cantt police station said, “Since the MUV’s driver, who owned the vehicle, did not survive, we are looking into legal alternatives as no charges can be filed posthumously.”
He noted that early findings suggest speeding was the primary cause, and the truck driver was not at fault.
Also Read | Dehradun Innova accident: X removes horrifying video of crash citing ‘gratuitous gore’
Trying to overtake a luxury car?
The crash occurred when the MUV, reportedly a new vehicle without licence plates, struck the truck’s left rear side—a known blind spot. CCTV camera footage revealed the MUV had been driving moderately earlier but sharply accelerated near the ONGC intersection, allegedly trying to overtake a luxury car, ToI reported.
Two decapitated
The impact was devastating, with the MUV’s roof torn off, causing two passengers to be decapitated. Witnesses described the vehicle as mangled beyond recognition, the report added.
The spot where accident took place
The collision, which reduced the car to a mangled wreck, occurred around 1.30am at the ONGC Chowk. The car rammed into the truck from behind and the six died on the spot, news agency PTI reported citing circle officer (City) Neeraj Semwal.
Chief miniser Pushkar Singh Dhami, who was on a visit to Uttarkashi and Rudraprayag, expressed grief at the loss of lives in the accident.
“The news of the death of six youths in a road accident in Dehradun is extremely heart-rending. I pray to God to grant the departed souls a place at his sacred feet and give strength to the bereaved families to bear the immense pain,” he said.
New video surfaces
India Today reported that a new video has revealed that the group of students had allegedly been drinking and partying shortly before their car rear-ended a truck. According to police, CCTV camera footage from the area shows the students driving at high speeds.
HT.com could not independently verify the authenticity of the video.
A video from earlier in the evening, obtained by India Today TVshows a group of young men and women dancing, pouring drinks, and consuming what appears to be alcohol. This footage has raised questions about whether intoxication was a factor in the crash. However, police have not yet confirmed this, as autopsy results are pending, it reported.
Siddhesh’s father, Vipin Agrawal, has expressed deep sorrow, urging the public to refrain from speculating about the students’ activities that night and to respect the family’s privacy during this difficult time, India Today reported.
Innova was bought recently
The Innova involved in the crash belonged to a Saharanpur-based firecracker businessman, Sunil Agarwal, who had recently bought the vehicle just days earlier on Dhanteras festival, Money Control reported. His son, Atul, had travelled to Dehradun along with six friends and was driving the vehicle at the time of the accident, it added.
Atul’s friend reportedly demanded a party since he bought a new car. Atul hosted a party on Monday night at Siddhesh Agarwal’s home in Jakhan. Atul then headed for a drive with his friend.
Narrow escape for restaurant owner
A restaurant owner told ToI that he narrowly avoided a collision with the MUV earlier that night near Pacific Mall. “The car was speeding on the wrong side toward us. I had to swerve quickly,” he said, adding that he reported the incident to police but saw no immediate action.
