Drunk, Porsche-driving teen ordered to write essay after killing 2 in India
By Bryan Ke
A decision by a local Indian Juvenile Justice Board to order a 17-year-old to write an essay as part of his bail conditions after killing two people while drunk driving has been retracted amid public outrage.
Key points:
- The male teen, whose name is being withheld, is accused of driving the Porsche that struck the victims in Pune, Maharashta state, on Sunday.
- The victims, identified as Aneesh Awadhia and Ashwini Koshta, both 24 years old and software engineers, died at the scene.
- The teen, who was allegedly drunk, was arrested and taken to the local Juvenile Justice Board following the incident.
The details:
- Surveillance video caught the Porsche Taycan supercar being allegedly driven by the teen moments before the tragic collision. The car was reportedly traveling 160 kilometers (99.4 miles) per hour.
- The teen reportedly came from a bar with his friends to celebrate finishing their exams. Following the incident, the business was sealed and three people were arrested for serving alcohol to an underage individual.
- A video filmed in the aftermath shows an angry mob attacking the teen on the street. He was arrested shortly after.
- Authorities initially charged him with causing death by negligence. Later, he was charged with culpable homicide not amounting to murder, as well as drunk driving offenses.
- Within 15 hours of his detention, the Juvenile Justice Board granted him bail under several conditions, including writing a 300-word essay on road safety, performing a 15-day community service and undergoing psychiatric consultation.
- The teen’s father, reportedly a wealthy businessman, was also arrested for allegedly allowing his son to drive. India’s legal driving age is 18.
- Many X users criticized the Indian justice system for its alleged leniency. One wrote, “Indian judiciary system is the biggest joke of the decade.”
- “As per rules, action should be taken (against the accused) so that people learn a lesson from this,” Suresh Koshta, Ashwini’s father, said in a video.
What’s next:
- The board retracted its decision on Wednesday amid the public outrage. The teen was sent to a rehabilitation center, where he will stay until June 5.
- Police are seeking to try him as an adult for the “heinous” crime. India changed its juvenile laws in 2015, allowing for the trial of teens over 16 as adults if the crimes they committed are deemed heinous.
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