A fatal car accident in North Goa has sparked a heated argument about who was responsible when a 65-year-old tourist from Bhopal, Bhagatram Sharma lost his life in a high-speed collision on the 23rd of February, 2026. According to the official police report, the driver was a 19-year-old student, Shaurya Goyal from Delhi. However local witnesses have made dramatic statements about a “driver swap” to protect a female passenger.
The Fatal Collision
The event took place at approximately 5:45 p.m. at Happy Bar junction in Assagao. A speeding red colour rented Mahindra Thar (GA-03-V-5695) which was going from Mapusa to Anjuna was said to have lost control and collided head-on with a white Hyundai i20.
The crash was so intense that the front of the hatchback was totally wrecked. Bhagatram Sharma suffered severe head trauma and was declared dead on arrival at the District Hospital in Mapusa. Five other occupants of the i20 including Sharma’s wife, who suffered a leg fracture, and a three-month-old infant who miraculously escaped unharmed were also in the vehicle.
The Accused: Shaurya Goyal
Police have arrested Shaurya Goyal, a 19-year-old second-year BBA student from Hauz Khas, Delhi.
He has been booked under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for causing death by negligence (Section 106),Rash Driving (Section 281), and Endangering Life (Section 125). According to doctors report, Goyal was not under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crash.. Although the accident was grave, Goyal came out on bail shortly after his arrest on Tuesday.
“Seat-Switch” Allegations
The situation escalated when the eyewitnesses and the local community indicated that a woman was driving the Thar at the moment of the accident.
Video of the crash that went viral shows Goyal calling his father while a woman standing nearby hides her face. Locals say that he changed the driver’s seat right after the crash so that the female driver could be saved legally.
Police Response
So far, the Anjuna Police have firmly denied these claims. Inspector Suraj Gawas said that the CCTV footage of the road “clearly shows” Goyal in the drivers seat prior to the accident. The police have called on any witnesses with evidence to the contrary to come forward and give their statements to the investigating officers.
