Who were techies Ashwini & Anish killed by rich kid’s Porsche in Pune?

The demise of 24-year-old techies Ashwini Koshta and Aneesh Awadhiya in a horrific road accident in Pune's Kalyani Nagar area has sparked public outrage over the alleged negligence of authorities and the affluent minor accused of rash driving. The duo, originally from Jabalpur, was mowed down by a luxurious Porsche allegedly driven by a 17-year-old son of a renowned builder in an inebriated state on Sunday night.

Who were techies Ashwini and Anish?

Ashwini Koshta and Aneesh Awadhiya, both 24-year-old software engineers working as data analysts at Johnson Controls, were returning home on a two-wheeler when tragedy struck around 10:30 PM on the deserted streets of Pune's Kalyani Nagar area. They were natives of Madhya Pradesh, but working in Pune. Eyewitnesses recount the shocking visuals of the high-end sports car ramming into their vehicle at breakneck speed, killing Ashwini on the spot and grievously injuring Aneesh, who succumbed to his injuries during treatment.

The lives of software engineer Ashwini and Anish in Pune were not taken by the Porsche Taycan or Vedant Agarwal, but by the system rotten by corruption. 😏

May his soul rest in peace. 🕊️ pic.twitter.com/tgyc9OLcbr

— Radhika Chaudhary (@Radhika8057) May 21, 2024

Witnesses recount the chilling visuals of Ashwini being thrown 20 feet into the air and Aneesh flung into a parked car after the high-impact collision. Both succumbed to their injuries on the spot. The luxury vehicle, after hitting the bike, careened onto the pavement before coming to a halt.

"The accident took place around 2:15 am. The car was at full speed. The driver was fleeing after the car hit the bike, but the airbags deployed. He could not see the road and parked the car. And locals caught them. Besides the driver, there were two occupants in the car. One of them escaped. The crowd beat up the other two," recounted an auto-rickshaw operator who was present at the scene.

The minor accused, identified as a 17-year-old son of a prominent city-based realtor, was allegedly returning from a pub celebration with friends after passing Class 12 exams. In a shocking development, the juvenile was granted bail within a mere 15 hours of the incident by the court, which ordered him to write a 300-word essay and receive treatment and counseling for alcohol addiction.

The minor, four months shy of the minimum legal age of 18 to drive a car and over seven years short of the minimum legal age of 25 to consume alcohol in India, had reportedly been partying and drinking with his friends before the fatal crash.

System favors wealthy, minor labeled "human bomb"

"This is not just an accident but a cold-blooded murder committed by a corrupt system that favors the wealthy and influential," lamented Akhilesh Awadhiya, Aneesh's uncle. He slammed the bail conditions as "ridiculous" and dubbed the minor a "human bomb" who poses a threat to society if allowed to roam free.

Amitesh Kumar, the Commissioner of Police, acknowledged the gravity of the crime and stated that the police have challenged the court's decision in a higher court. "We moved to treat the accused as an adult since it is a heinous crime under the Juvenile Justice Act, but our application was disallowed. We have appealed against this order and will not leave any stone unturned to ensure justice," he affirmed.