B Tech student killed as 'drunk' friend rams car into divider in Hyderabad

In a case of alleged drunken driving, a 20-year-old engineering student died in an accident at Madhapur of Cyberabad commissionerate in the city during the wee hours of Sunday.

The incident took place when student's friend who was behind the wheel, under the influence of alcohol, rammed the vehicle into the divider. The deceased has been identified as M Sai Vihitha, a student of Gitam University. The accused Suchith Babu is absconding. They were on their way to Jubilee Hills to meet Sai Vihitha's friend, police said.

According to police, Sai Vihitha hailing from Guntur district in Andhra Pradesh, is doing her B Tech final year at Gitam University at Patancheru and was residing at a private hostel at Kukatpally.

Around 4 am on Sunday, she with a friend Suchith Babu was driving, were travelling to Jubilee Hills in a car AP 37S 0444. After crossing Parvata nagar X road on the 100 feet road, he tried to overtake from left a luxury car moving ahead. In this attempt, he rammed into an auto rickshaw. He then lost control and the vehicle climbed over the footpath, before coming to a halt.

Vihitha who was sitting next to him, was thrown out of the vehicle and landed on the footpath, where she sustained a severe head injury and died on the spot. Police said, the auto driver and two passengers in the vehicle sustained minor injuries, while the auto rickshaw was badly damaged. Suchith Babu could also sustained injuries in the incident, they said.

Alerted by the auto driver and other passersby Madhapur police rushed to the spot. On checking sai Vihitha's mobile, they found a last dialled number and it was found to be Vihitha's friend Poonam, residing at Jubilee Hills.

Police found that Vihitha and Suchith had drinks till early hours, after which Vihitha called up Poonam and informed that they are going out on a long drive and coming to see Poonam in Suchith's car.

Police found that Suchith took the route from Kukatpally to Jubilee Hills Hi-tech city, Madhapur, during when the accident had happened.

Madhapur Inspector S Venkat Reddy said a case under section 304(II) of IPC was registered against Suchith. " We are verifying if there were other people in the car at the time of the accident and where they had partied before taking the long drive," he said.

Inquiries revealed that Vihitha and Suchith are friends for four years. The car was found to be registered on the name of Azam with Patancheru address and is said to have changed hands only a year ago. Police are also probing the relation between Azam and Suchith.

Vihitha's body was handed over to her family following a postmortem. The case is under investigation.