Delhi: DU student killed, 4 friends injured after SUV accident near Rajghat

A 19-year-old Delhi University student named Aishwarya Pandey was killed and four of her friends were injured when their SUV, traveling at high speed, crashed into a guardrail near Rajghat in Delhi early Thursday morning, officials said.

The accident occurred when all the friends were returning from celebrating Pandey’s birthday in Gurugram.

Pandey was admitted to LNJP Hospital and put on a ventilator but succumbed to his injuries the same day. His friends Keshav Kumar (19), Aishwarya Mishra (19), Ujjawal (19) and Krishna (18) also sustained injuries.

Police suspect that the students were under the influence of alcohol, but one of the survivors said the accident happened because the driver, Mishra, was distracted while changing songs on his mobile phone.

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

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

The accident occurred when the Hyundai Venue was allegedly speeding, skidded off the road, hit a divider and crashed into a railing near the ISBT junction between Shanti Van red light and Geeta Colony, officials said.

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

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

Pandey, who was sitting behind Mishra, suffered severe head injuries. Mishra, from Etawah in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, is currently being treated in a private hospital. The other two friends were discharged after receiving first aid.

Pandey, also from Etawah, lived in Laxmi Nagar, Delhi after the death of his parents – his father died of illness and his mother died in a road accident in 2019.