The thrill of high speed and the hunger for instant fame claimed the lives of two young men from Gujarat and has left three others battling for their lives.
The five youths, all between the ages of 22 and 27, were en route to Mumbai from Ahmedabad when their Maruti Suzuki Brezza crashed into a tree on the side of a highway in Anand district. The tragic accident was caught on camera as the young men were live-streaming their journey on Instagram while travelling in the SUV at a high speed.
In the video, which is now going viral on social media, all five can be seen partying in the car – dancing to the loud music and showing their followers how they were driving the vehicle at speeds between 140kmh and 160kmh.
Music blaring in the background, the video begins with two of the men saying hello to their audience, many of whom can be seen joining the livestream.
Since the footage was shot before dawn, a cellphone flashlight is used and the camera pans to show the other occupants of the car, who seem to be enjoying themselves.
As the video proceeds, the camera focuses on the car’s speedometer, with one of the men saying, “Look how the car is going”.
The joyride then takes a fatal turn when the driver starts zooming past trucks one by one, overtaking vehicles to his right and left within seconds.
A string of verbal abuse, possibly aimed at the driver of one of the vehicles on the road, follows.
The driver is egged on by his friends, who say” “Yeah, one more (overtaken).”
Suddenly, the squealing of brakes can be heard as the driver swerves to avoid an obstacle. The video ends with a loud thud and then darkness.
The SUV reportedly crashed into a tree near Adas in Gujarat, some 100km from Ahmedabad.
According to NDTV, the incident occurred between 3.30am and 4.30am on May 2 on National Highway 48.
The two dead were identified as Aman Mehboobbhai Sheikh and Chiragkumar K Patel – both Ahmedabad residents.
The other three occupants of the car, also from the same city, suffered serious injuries and are undergoing treatment, the report said.
The police have filed a case against the car’s driver, Mustafa alias Shahbad Khan Pathan, for reckless driving.
