Friendship Day celebration at pub turns tragic in Hyderabad as woman, 23, dies on the way to home

The Friendship Day celebration of four youngsters ended on a tragic note when a 23-year-old woman was killed in an accident at Gachibowli late on Sunday night. One more woman was severely injured and battling for life at hospital. The four friends celebrated Friendship Day at a pub and were returning home when the car they were travelling in crashed into some boulders on the roadside.

D Ashritha, 23, who is pursuing an M Tech in Canada, died on the spot, while her friend Taruni received severe injuries. Two others, Sai Prakash and Abhishek, escaped with minor injuries. Abhishek who was driving the vehicle in a drunken condition was booked under 304 II of the IPC (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) and arrested, said G Suresh, Inspector Gachibowli.

According to police, Ashritha, Taruni and Saiprakash had studied together at a reputed institute at Shankarpally. Ashritha went to Canada for higher studies and the other two were working in the city. Abhishek was their junior at college. Around 20 days ago, Ashritha came home for a one-month vacation.

Sunday being International Friendship Day, the four friends wanted



to celebrate it together and decided to meet in the evening. Around 10pm, they gathered at SNORT Pub at Kondapur of Gachibowli police limits, consumed alcohol and had dinner. Around 11pm, they left the pub and started home in Abhishek’s car.

Midway, Abhishek, who was behind the wheel, lost control of the vehicle, which swerved to the extreme right and crashed into the boulders on the roadside. As the vehicle was travelling at high speed, it toppled a couple of times and landed on the ground. In the process, the rear right door got opened and Ashritha, sitting in the rear right, was thrown out of the vehicle. Taruni sitting in the rear left also received severe injuries. Abhishek and Sai Prakash escaped with minor injuries as the air balloons opened.

Police said a common friend, who saw the crash, rushed them to a nearby private hospital, but doctors declared Ashritha dead, while Taruni's condition is said to be critical.

In view of Bonalu celebrations on Sunday, liquor supply was prohibited. But the pub had violated the prohibitory orders and served alcohol. A case has been registered against the pub management also.