Sun Mar 16 11:45:00 UTC 2025: ## Holi Tragedy: Speeding Car Kills Mother, Critically Injures Father in Vadodara
**Vadodara, Gujarat –** A joyous Holi eve turned into tragedy in Vadodara, Gujarat, after a speeding car driven by a law student caused a fatal accident, killing a 35-year-old woman and critically injuring her husband.
Hemali Patel and her husband Purav Patel, along with their young daughter, were on a scooter returning home after Holika Dahan when a car, allegedly driven recklessly by Rakshit Chaurasia, a law student at MS University, rammed into their vehicle and others. The impact threw the family into the air. Hemali Patel died at the scene, while Purav Patel sustained critical injuries and their daughter was also hurt. The accident resulted in five injuries in total.
Eyewitnesses and a viral video of the aftermath suggest Chaurasia was intoxicated. He was reportedly heard shouting incoherent phrases after the accident. Following the crash, an angry mob beat Chaurasia before police apprehended him. He has been charged with culpable homicide not amounting to murder. Chaurasia, the son of a Prayagraj businessman, claims he was not speeding or drunk, attributing the accident to his car’s airbags deploying and impairing his vision. Police are also investigating his passenger, Pranshu Chouhan.
Vikas Kevlani, one of the injured individuals, contradicted Chaurasia’s account, stating the car was speeding. He emphasized the need for stricter punishments rather than just traffic fines to deter such reckless driving. Kevlani, a friend of the Patel family, vowed to pursue justice for Hemali Patel, describing her as a sister.
The incident has sent shockwaves through the community, highlighting the devastating consequences of reckless driving and the urgent need for stricter enforcement of traffic laws. The investigation continues.
First Piper 