Delhi BBA student drove Thar that killed Bhopal tourist in Goa, say police

PANAJI/NEW DELHI: Police on Wednesday said the Mahindra Thar involved in the death of Bhagat Ram Sharma, a 65-year-old tourist from Bhopal, in Assagao on Monday, was driven by 19-year-old BBA student and resident of southwest Delhi, Shaurya Goyal.

Based on a complaint and preliminary investigation, Anjuna police registered an FIR against Goyal for causing death by negligence and rash driving. He was arrested and later released on bail, Anjuna PI Suraj Gawas said.


While some eyewitnesses claimed that a young woman was driving the Thar, police have denied this. "During the investigation, nobody told us that a young girl was driving the Thar at the time of the accident. If anyone saw a girl driving instead of a boy, they can approach Anjuna police and provide the information," PI Gawas said, adding that CCTV footage "clearly shows" Goyal at the wheel.

Police said Sharma's family and Goyal's group both arrived in Goa on Feb 21, staying in the Calangute area and Assagao, respectively.

The Thar was allegedly driven in a rash and negligent manner by Goyal, who was holidaying in Goa with four girl students, said police. The collision occurred around 5.50pm at a junction near Happy Bar, Assagao, when Goyal was driving from Mapusa towards Anjuna and lost control of the vehicle, crashing into a Hyundai i20 heading from Assagao towards Parra.

The i20 was being driven by Sharma, who was rushed to the District Hospital in Mapusa, where doctors declared him brought dead. His wife, 59-year-old Leela Sharma, sustained a leg fracture and is undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Mapusa. A three-month-old infant in the same car suffered minor injuries. In all, six people were travelling with Sharma.

Goyal's medical examination ruled out alcohol consumption at the time of the accident, said police. A postmortem examination was carried out on Sharma's body at Goa Medical College and Hospital. The investigation is being handled by PSI Saish Kinlekar.

Meanwhile, in Y Block of south Delhi's Hauz Khas, neighbours described Goyal as a quiet teenager who largely kept to himself and was largely focused on academics. He was in his second year of college, enrolled in a BBA course in a private university near Delhi and would come home on the weekends.

The eldest of two siblings, Goyal comes from a family engaged in the jewellery business. His younger sister is in school.

"We studied in the same school and grew up together," his childhood friend who lives next door told TOI. "We've all been part of the same friend group for years. He has always been serious about his studies and spends most of his time focused on college. The girls who were with him in Goa are all our friends. A lot of things being said online — especially about him switching seats with one of the girls — are not true. He is extremely disturbed by what has happened."

Another neighbour said, "I recall him driving the car sometimes here, but generally he would take a cab to commute."

Most other residents seemed unaware of the incident or of his involvement in it.