Three students of Amity University, Noida, were killed and seven of their classmates, including were injured after their rental SUV collided with a tractor on National Highway 1 a few hours after midnight Friday. The students were heading to Murthal for food in a self-drive rental Scorpio when the youngster driving it lost control.
While three died on the spot, said the police, the seven other classmates were admitted in a critical condition. The SUV was badly mangled on impact and gas cutters had to be used to pull out some of the students, added the police. A passerby and eyewitness claimed several people were at the spot, but instead of helping the victims, they were making videos on their phones.
MN Tiwari, deputy commissioner of police (outer district), said Saturday the deceased were identified as Shikhar (22), Ujjawal (21) and Rajesh (24). Shikhar and Ujjawal were the only children of their parents and belonged to Meerut and Bhiwani, respectively, he added.
“The injured have been identified as Subham (21), Pranav Pandey (20), Vijay (20), Shubham (19), Reefat (21), Vanshika (20) and Pooja (21). All are students of BTech IInd year at Amity University in Noida,” said Tiwari.
The students were taken to Satyawadi Raja Harish Chander Hospital and the condition of Pranav Pandey and Shubham was critical and they were shifted to Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital. Police said Shikhar was driving the SUV. “The collision occurred near the Grand Orchid and Tivoli Farmhouse,” said a senior police officer. “The entire left portion of the car was completely damaged. Shikhar, Ujjawal and Rajesh struggled out of the SUV and the bricks in the tractor fell on them,” the officer added. The driver of the truck is absconding and a case of rash and negligent driving has been lodged against him.
