Katni, Nov 9 (NationPress) A deadly joyride took a grim turn when a speeding sedan, carrying four young men, lost control near Sagar Lake, collided with an auto-rickshaw, and plunged into the depths of Laxman Sagar Lake in Madhya Pradesh's Katni town. The catastrophic incident, which occurred around 11:30 p.m. on Saturday near the jurisdiction of the Bilhari police outpost, resulted in the tragic deaths of two passengers despite frantic efforts to escape.

The deceased - Prashant Nayak and Vikas Tiwari - were pronounced dead at the scene, while their companions, Abhishek Chaurasia and Aman Tamrakar, managed to break the car's windows and swim for safety.

Witnesses reported that the car was racing at extraordinary speeds just moments before the crash. As it approached the lake, the vehicle careened out of control, initially crashing into a parked auto-rickshaw.

The force of the collision severely damaged the auto and sent the sedan careening into the lake, where it quickly submerged.

Suyash Pandey, the in-charge at the Bilhari outpost, confirmed the events, stating, "Prashant Nayak and Vikas Tiwari died instantly due to the impact of the collision." Meanwhile, Abhishek and Aman initially showcased remarkable composure, but tragically succumbed to exhaustion and the lake's depth before help could reach them.

Locals promptly alerted authorities. Emergency responders arrived swiftly, but retrieval efforts were hampered by darkness and the lake's vastness.

A crane was eventually called in, and after several hours, the wrecked car was retrieved around 2 a.m. Sadly, the two survivors had already perished.

Authorities have opened a case for reckless driving and the bodies were dispatched to Katni District Hospital for autopsies. Initial investigations indicate that excessive speed on the poorly lit road may have been a key factor, with skid marks and nearby CCTV footage under review.

The auto-rickshaw's owner was identified, and fortunately, there were no passengers in the vehicle at the time of the incident.

This tragedy has profoundly impacted the close-knit community of Bilhari, with families of the victims, aged between 22 and 27, mourning at the hospital.

Local leaders are calling for improved lighting, speed bumps, and signage near Laxman Sagar Lake to avert similar disasters in the future.