Aryan Joshi : “Indian Students Killed in Georgia Crash, 2 Injured”

Alpharetta: Tragedy struck in the city of Alpharetta, Georgia, as three Indian-origin students lost their lives in a fatal car crash, while two others sustained injuries, confirmed local authorities. The Alpharetta Police responded to a single-vehicle crash on Westside Parkway, where an initial investigation revealed that the car, carrying five 18-year-old occupants, had crashed.

The Alpharetta Police stated that based on the evidence at the crash site, it is believed that the driver lost control of the vehicle, leading it to come to rest upside down in the tree line. The deceased Indian-origin individuals have been identified as Aryan Joshi, a senior at Alpharetta High School, Sriya Avasarala, and Anvi Sharma, both freshmen at the University of Georgia.

While Aryan Joshi and Sriya Avasarala were pronounced dead at the scene, the remaining three occupants were rushed to North Fulton Hospital for medical treatment, where Anvi Sharma tragically succumbed to her injuries. Mohammed Liyakath, a senior at Alpharetta High School, and Rithwak Somepalli, a Georgia State University student and the driver of the vehicle, are currently receiving medical care.

Following the accident, the University of Georgia expressed its condolences, stating, “The University of Georgia community mourns the lives lost in this tragic accident. Our deepest sympathies go out to their families and loved ones as they navigate this challenging time. We hope their memories bring comfort and strength to all who knew them.”

Excessive Speeding Likely Contributed to the Crash

Although investigations are ongoing, preliminary data from the accident suggest that speeding may have played a role in the tragic car crash. Alpharetta Police announced the temporary closure of Westside Parkway from Maxwell Road to Hembree Road as investigations into the incident progressed.

According to a report by 11Alive, Anvi Sharma and Sriya Avasarala had recently completed their freshman year at the University of Georgia. Sharma was laid to rest on Wednesday, as confirmed by her family. Shari Kelly, whose husband witnessed the aftermath of the crash, expressed, “Any time young people lose their lives, it’s absolutely heartbreaking.”

Avasarala was a member of the UGA Shikaari dance team, while Sharma sang with UGA Kalakaar, an a capella group, as reported by the Atlanta Journal Constitution. Aryan Joshi was on the brink of graduation and was a fervent supporter of the Alpharetta High School Cricket Team.

In 2021, teenagers accounted for 7 per cent of motor vehicle crash deaths and 9 per cent of passenger vehicle occupant deaths. The percentage of crash deaths that were passenger vehicle occupants is lowest for age 13 (55 per cent) and highest for ages 17 and 18 (81 per cent), according to Fox News. In 2020, motor vehicle crashes were the leading cause of death for females between the ages of 13 and 19 and one of the leading causes for males of the same age.

Previous Tragic Incidents

Last month, three Indian women from Gujarat lost their lives, with another individual sustaining injuries, in a horrific car accident in South Carolina’s Greenville County. The overspeeding SUV they were travelling in veered across all lanes, ran up an embankment, and crashed into trees on the other side, rising as much as 20 feet in the air.

The three women who tragically passed away in the crash were identified as Rekhaben Patel, Sangitaben Patel, and Manishaben Patel, residents of Gujarat’s Anand district. Chief Deputy Coroner Mike Ellis highlighted that the vehicle was found in pieces post-crash, indicating excessive speed. This incident occurred shortly after two Indian students from Telangana studying in the US lost their lives in a head-on collision in Arizona. The students, Nivesh Mukka, 19, and Goutham Parsi, 19, were enrolled as international students at Arizona State University.

ALSO READ | White House praises Indian voters: \’Not many more vibrant democracies in the world than India\’