HYDERABAD: What was meant to be a weekend getaway among colleagues turned into a devastating tragedy when two young employees of a major corporate company lost their lives in a car crash at Edulabad, near here, in the early hours of Sunday. The group had just wrapped up a party at a farmhouse and was heading out in search of food when the accident occurred. Preliminary investigation suggests drunk and negligent driving as the cause, casting a pall of grief over what began as a night of celebration. The deceased have been identified as Bathula Bhargav Yadav, 23, a resident of Kuntloor, and Chethi Varshith, 23, from Sainikpuri. According to Ghatkesar inspector P Parashuram, the victims were among a group of seven employees who had gone to Vihari Nature’s Nest farmhouse at around 2.30 pm on Friday. The group included Dinesh, Vinay, Bhavadeep, Rajesh, and Praveen, in addition to the deceased. “They reached the farmhouse in two cars—one driven by Praveen, a team lead in the software company, and another by a hired driver. The group partied until about 2.30 am on Saturday,” said Ghatkesar sub-inspector A Shekhar. Around that time, the group left the farmhouse to look for food, driving around Edulabad but failing to find any open eateries. The accident occurred during their return to the farmhouse from Edulabad.
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Right door flung openThe Hyundai Creta driven by Praveen veered off to the right side of the road and rammed into two electric poles and a tree. “The impact was so severe that the right passenger door flung open. Bhargav and Varshith, who were seated in the rear, were thrown out of the vehicle and died on the spot due to multiple injuries,” the SI said.Praveen, who was behind the wheel, sustained serious injuries and is currently being treated at a private hospital in Medipally. His condition is stable. Dinesh, who was seated in the front passenger seat, suffered minor injuries. The rest of the group, following about a kilometre behind in another vehicle, noticed the crash and immediately alerted police. The victims’ families were informed shortly after, around 3 am. Based on a complaint filed by Bhargav’s uncle, B Nagesh Yadav, a case has been registered against Praveen under section 106(1) (causing death by negligence) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.“Initial probe points to rash and negligent driving. We have collected Praveen’s blood sample for blood alcohol content analysis. Viscera samples of the deceased will also be tested for alcohol,” inspector Parashuram said. Liquor bottles were recovered from the farmhouse, and CCTV footage has been collected as part of probe. “Although airbags were deployed, the force of the collision was immense. We will also be recording statements from the other group members,” the SI added.
