In a tragic incident in the early hours of Saturday, three Indian tourists lost their lives after being struck by a speeding car driven by a 27-year-old Russian national near the '23 Restaurant' in Arpora. The accused driver, identified as Anton Bychkov, is also seriously injured and is currently undergoing treatment at the Goa Medical College and Hospital in Bambolim.
The deceased have been identified as Dilipkumar Bang and Manojkumar Soni from Hyderabad, Telangana, and Mahesh Sharma from Nashik, Maharashtra. The fatal accident occurred at approximately 3:30 am.
According to the Anjuna police, five Indian tourists were conversing by the roadside in Arpora, with their XUV 700 car parked on the side of the road facing Calangute. As three of them were boarding the vehicle, Bychkov, driving a Polo car at high speed from Anjuna, struck all three tourists, dragging them at least 50 meters away.
After the collision, Bychkov lost control of his car, which veered off the road and landed headfirst into a Nullah on the left side. The three tourists and the Russian driver were rushed to the North Goa District Hospital in Mapusa. Unfortunately, the three Indian tourists were declared dead upon arrival, while Bychkov, suffering serious injuries, was subsequently shifted to the Goa Medical College for further medical attention.
The police have recorded statements from the survivors, including the driver and a friend of the deceased tourists. Anjuna Police have registered a case against the owner of the Polo car, who likely rented the vehicle to Bychkov. The preliminary investigation indicates that Bychkov drove recklessly and at high speed, resulting in the tragic incident.
Anjuna Police Inspector Prashal Desai stated, "The impact was such that three tourists died on the spot, and the car driven by Bychkov crashed into a roadside nullah. The Russian sustained serious injuries." Investigations are ongoing to determine the full circumstances of the incident.