A 19-year-old youth was killed after the car he was travelling in crashed into a crash barrier and caught fire on NH-66 near Sainik Aramghar, Bambolim, in the early hours of Friday.

According to police, the accident occurred at around 3.45 am when the car was travelling from Panaji towards Goa Velha. The vehicle was allegedly being driven in a rash and negligent manner by Harsh Jain (18), a resident of Margao.

Police said the driver lost control of the vehicle near Sainik Aramghar on NH-66. The SUV rammed into the crash barrier before veering onto the service road. The impact caused the vehicle to catch fire.

Three persons were travelling in the vehicle. While the driver, Harsh Jain, and front-seat passenger Tanish Puri (18), a resident of Raia, managed to escape with injuries, the rear occupant, Yash Kiran Mehta (19), son of Kiran Mehta and a resident of Hari Mandir Chawl, Balbhat, Margao, became trapped inside the burning vehicle.

Fire and emergency personnel rescued Yash from the vehicle and rushed him to Goa Medical College (GMC) Hospital, Bambolim, where doctors declared him brought dead.
The injured were also shifted for medical treatment.