Jaipur, March 18 (IANS) A horrific road accident occurred on the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway near Kota's Balapura area on Wednesday, resulting in the tragic death of three youths travelling in a car. The crash was so severe that the vehicle was completely wrecked, leaving behind a scene of chaos and panic.

According to reports, the three friends were travelling in an SUV from Ladakh towards Mumbai. The three, who have been identified as Siddhant (21), Kunal (25), and Mayureva (23), were residents of Pune.

According to officials, the car suddenly went out of control near Thumda, approximately five kilometres from Balapura. Due to excessive speed, the driver was unable to maintain control of the vehicle; it smashed through the divider and plunged nearly 30 feet down.

The impact was so intense that the vehicle suffered catastrophic damage. Following the crash, the area echoed with screams and cries for help. Bystanders immediately alerted the police and called for an ambulance.

With the assistance of locals, the trapped victims were pulled out of the wreckage; however, all three had already succumbed to their injuries by then. Police reached the scene shortly after being informed, took custody of the bodies, and sent them for post-mortem examination.

Preliminary investigations suggest that overspeeding and loss of control were the primary causes of the accident. Authorities are continuing their probe and are informing their families.

Manoj Sikarwar, SHO of Kaithoon Police Station, stated that Siddhant, Kunal and Mayureva were residents of Pune and were returning there in a Fortuner SUV.

On February 26, they had embarked on a trip to Leh-Ladakh as part of a 10-member group, with the remaining members travelling behind them in separate vehicles.

After the accident, locals rushed the three injured men to the Kaithoon Community Health Centre (CHC). Dr Rajesh Samar, the in-charge of the facility, confirmed that the victims had died before they could reach the hospital. Their bodies have been placed in the mortuary for post-mortem examination.

--IANS

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