Ferrari sportscar crashes on Kolkata flyover, driver dead

A truck in front of the car reportedly changed lanes without warning, leading to the crash.

ANI Photo

Kolkata: A Ferrari sportscar being driven by a city-based businessman as part of a motorcade of high-performance cars here on Sunday crashed into a parapet of a flyover, leaving him dead and a passenger grievously injured.

The incident happened in the morning of Sunday when 43-year-old Shibaji Roy was returning from a morning drive in a two-seater Ferrari California T sportscar. The car was part of a motorcade which included other high-end cars including two BMWs, two Porsches and a Lamborghini. It is reported that the Ferrari was on NH6 in Howrah when a truck in front changed lanes without switching on indicator lights. Roy reportedly failed to react in time and swerved the car which hit the parapet of the flyover. While the airbag did deploy, the front portion of the car was heavily damaged - trapping Roy and Aashna Surana - a 17-year-old daughter of his friend. Eyewitness accounts state that Roy was alive for some time after the crash but since the two occupants could not be taken out of the mangled car - gas cutters were apparently not immediately available, Roy could not survive. Surana was eventually rushed to a nearby hospital.

The Telegraph reported that official records show the car registered in the name of Roop Shringar Sarees and that Roy had bought it six months ago. The paperwork for the transfer of ownership was in process.

The Ferrari California T is a 4200cc convertible which costs around Rs 3 crore in India. While it is not clear if Roy was speeding or if he was breaking any other rule, handling a high-power car on Indian roads requires a lot of precision and control - even from highly experienced drivers.