Delhi University student, out to celebrate his birthday, dies in deadly car crash

According to one of the survivors, the accident happened when the driver lost control of the car while trying to change a song on his mobile phone.

In Short

• Accident took place on Geeta Colony flyover in New Delhi
• Group was returning from a birthday celebration in Gurugram
• Police suspect students were under the influence of alcohol

A 19-year-old Delhi University student, identified as Aishwarya Pandey, died and four of his friends were injured after their speeding SUV crashed into a guardrail near Rajghat in Delhi early on Thursday, officials said.

The accident took place when all the friends were returning from Gurugram after celebrating Pandey's birthday.

Pandey was admitted to LNJP Hospital and placed on ventilator support but succumbed to his injuries later that day. His friends, Keshav Kumar (19), Aishwarya Mishra (19), Ujjawal (19), and Krishna (18), also suffered injuries.

The police suspect that the students were under the influence of alcohol, but one of the survivors said that the crash occurred when the driver, Mishra, got distracted while changing songs on his mobile phone.

Meanwhile, police said the five friends drove to Zee Town, a pub in Gurugram, on Wednesday to celebrate Pandey's birthday and had drinks.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (North), MK Meena, confirmed that a case had been registered under sections 281 (rash driving) and 125(a) (causing hurt by an act endangering life or personal safety of others) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

The accident occurred when the Hyundai Venue, reportedly speeding, veered off the road, climbed onto a divider, and smashed into a guardrail near the ISBT intersection between Shanti Van red light and Geeta Colony, officials said.

"While crossing the Geeta Colony flyover, Mishra got distracted while changing the song playing on his mobile phone and lost control of the vehicle. The car collided with the railing at 5.52 am," the police said in a statement.

Pandey, a first-year BA student at Deshbandhu College, had rented the SUV for Rs 1,500 and asked Mishra, a student of Dayal Singh College, to drive.

Pandey, who was seated behind Mishra, sustained severe head injuries. Mishra, from Uttar Pradesh’s Etawah, is undergoing treatment at a private hospital. The other two friends were discharged after first aid.

Pandey, also from Etawah, had been living in Laxmi Nagar, Delhi, following the deaths of his parents — his father died of an illness, and his mother passed away in a road accident in 2019.