PANAJI
In one of the most heart-wrenching accidents to have ever hit Goa last year, claiming the lives of four members of a family now has a startling and unsettling truth. The forensic report has confirmed the presence of alcohol traces in the SUV car driver’s body.
The incident occurred in the dead of night in July 2022, when the car skidded off the old Zuari Bridge and plunged into the river, killing all four occupants who were returning from a party in South Goa to attend another party in Anjuna.
According to an eyewitness who provided testimony to the police, the speeding car had attempted to overtake another vehicle just moments before meeting its fatal fate. The impact of the crash was so severe that it caused the balustrade to give way, sending the car hurtling down into the murky depths below.
Highly placed sources in the police headquarters have confirmed that the forensic toxicology report into the Zuari accident confirmed the presence of alcohol in the bloodstream of Anthony Henry Araujo, who was apparently the driver of the ill-fated vehicle. “The eyewitness stated that Anthony was behind the wheel,” the police revealed.
Meanwhile, the forensic reports for Allwyn Harry Araujo and Austin Fernandes have both confirmed a negative result for alcohol, while the report for Priscilla ‘Pupul’ Cruz is still pending. “We have sent a reminder to the State FSL at Verna to expedite the report,” the officer added. For now, the three FSL reports have been sent to the police surgeon in Goa Medical College for a ‘final certificate’ that will further ascertain the forensic findings.
With these last pieces of crucial information, the case is expected to be closed and a final investigation report will be submitted to the sub-divisional magistrate for appropriate order and action.
This startling revelation has only added to the growing unease and anxiety surrounding the spate of accidents that have been occurring in the State.
Director General of Police Jaspal Singh, who had also rushed to the site and oversaw the rescue operation, had termed the accident “unfortunate accident” while claiming “It appears to be a case of high speed and drunk driving resulting in a fatal accident. It is a case of negligent driving and a self-accident.”
