Gujarat Police on Friday confirmed that Rakshit Chaurasia, the law student behind the wheel during a fatal car crash in Vadodara last month, was under the influence of marijuana—not alcohol—as per the latest forensic findings.
According to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) test results, Chaurasia and two of his friends—Pranshu Chauhan and Suresh Bharwad—had all consumed marijuana on the night of the incident. The three had gathered at Bharwad’s residence prior to the crash. Pranshu Chauhan, the owner of the car, was also present in the vehicle during the collision.
All three have been charged under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, and Chaurasia faces additional charges for driving under the influence of narcotics under the Motor Vehicles Act, according to Deputy Commissioner of Police Panna Momaya. Chauhan was arrested on Friday following the test reports.
The Incident
The tragic crash took place around 12:30 am on March 14 near Muktanand Crossroads in the Karelibaug area of Vadodara. Chaurasia’s speeding car struck multiple two-wheelers, resulting in the death of Hemali Patel, a woman riding a scooter, and injuring others.
The incident made headlines after a video surfaced showing Chaurasia exiting the vehicle and yelling “another round”, appearing visibly disoriented. Moments later, he was confronted by bystanders, some of whom physically assaulted him before police arrived to take him into custody.
Originally from Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, Chaurasia is a law student at Maharaja Sayajirao University and resides in a PG accommodation in Vadodara. He initially claimed in an interview that he wasn’t intoxicated and blamed the crash on the vehicle’s airbags deploying after impact.
Dashcam and CCTV footage later revealed the harrowing moments as Chaurasia’s car plowed into multiple vehicles, tossing some victims into the air due to the force of the collision. Pranshu Chauhan, who was inside the car at the time, fled the scene immediately after the crash.
The investigation is ongoing as police piece together the full scope of the events and the involvement of all those present during the incident.
