Students Killed in Car Crash

Two Indian students were burnt to death in a horrific car accident on Qurum-Darsait flyover early yesterday morning. This terrible tragedy occurred around 1am, reliable sources told the Times of Oman yesterday evening. The youngsters are Amit (son of Ashok Chandra Roy of Oman Cables and Industry) and Sameer Diwan, both of whom have just finished their Grade XII computer science course at the Indian School Muscat (ISM). “Both were around 17-18 years. They had recently passed out of their Grade XII,” a tearful classmate confirmed when contacted by the Times. Amit, it is learnt, was preparing to go to America for further studies. “My son is gone,” a grief-stricken Ashok Chandra Roy told the Times. The devastated father could not say anything further. Amit’s relatives added tearfully that his US visa was being arranged and he was to leave soon. Not much is known of the other victim, Sameer Diwan. Both bodies are now at the mortuary of the Sultan Qaboos University Hospital (SQUH). This unspeakable tragedy has cast a pall of gloom over the Indian and other communities here, who are already reeling from a staple diet of horrific accident stories that have put the fear on many motorists. According to recent statistics, close to 300 deaths occur in various traffic-related accidents every year. The youths were riding a rented car, it is learnt. The car was speeding from Al Khuwair roundabout and heading towards Qurum on the Qurum-Darsait flyover. The young driver lost control of the car and hit the barrier on the pavement, Royal Oman Police sources said yesterday. The car and the helpless young occupants were burnt beyond recognition. By the time help arrived, there was no way of even determining the nationality of the occupants. Because the charred bodies were wearing trousers, the passers by and those that tried to help put out the blaze assumed that they were expatriates. Civil Defence personnel quickly put the fire out, but because the vehicle was crushed, it was impossible to pull the bodies out. Medical personnel arrived at the scene of accident around 4.30am, but even they found it impossible to take the bodies out. Finally, the car was carted away to the licence yard in Al Khuwair where it was cut to free the charred bodies. “It was impossible to identify the bodies because of the state they were in,” the sources said. “Only their relatives were able to identify them,” the sources said. Owing to the alarming rise in traffic-related deaths, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry has appointed a leading consultant to conduct a study. The study and the ensuing recommendations would, it is hoped, help put an end to the rising number of accidents here.

resource:ROP web site