Nagpur: In a heartbreaking tragedy that has left families shattered and a campus in mourning, two young law students, full of dreams and promise, lost their lives in a late-night road accident, turning what was meant to be an ordinary evening of friendship into a permanent void.
The victims, Aryan Ravindra Sontakke (21) from Yavatmal and Saksham Vinod Bansod (21) from Nagpur, both third-year students of Maharashtra National Law University (MNLU) Nagpur, were returning to their hostel after spending time together at a roadside dhaba. They never made it back.
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Apr 17 2026 - Time 10.30Hrs
According to police, the two friends had left their hostel around 3:30 pm on Wednesday, riding a motorcycle, seeking a brief escape from academic life. Hours later, after leaving the dhaba around 11 pm, they began their return journey, unaware it would be their last.
Just about 400 metres from their university, near a turn towards Mauja Waranga Toli, tragedy struck.
The motorcycle, allegedly being driven at high speed, went out of control and plunged into a roadside ditch. In the darkness of the deserted stretch, there were no witnesses, no immediate help, only silence.
Both Aryan and Saksham suffered severe head and body injuries and died on the spot.
It wasn’t until Thursday morning that passers-by noticed the wreckage and the lifeless bodies lying near the road. By then, it was too late.
A team from Butibori Police Station rushed to the scene, conducted a panchnama, and sent the bodies for post-mortem, but for their families, the worst had already unfolded.
Back at the hostel, anxiety had begun to build hours earlier.
When the two failed to return late at night, their friends grew increasingly worried. Calls went unanswered. Searches began. Families were contacted.
Saksham’s absence was particularly alarming, prompting the hostel authorities to alert his family. Through the night, his loved ones searched desperately, clinging to hope, a hope that would be crushed by morning.
Adding to the tragedy, Aryan had left his mobile phone behind in the hostel, cutting off any possible communication.
During investigation, police traced the duo’s final movements to Rohit Deluxe Dhaba on Wardha Road. Staff confirmed that the two had left around 11 pm, with Aryan allegedly riding at high speed, a detail later corroborated by CCTV footage.
Investigators believe the bike lost control at the turn, leading to the fatal fall.
Aryan was the son of a senior lawyer from Yavatmal, while Saksham’s father serves as a joint civil judge in Wardha, two families deeply rooted in the justice system, now grappling with an unbearable personal loss.
Saksham lived in a rented flat in Besa, while Aryan stayed in the university hostel, two friends bound by studies, now united in tragedy.
A stark reminder
What makes this incident even more haunting is how close they were to safety, just minutes away from their hostel, from help, from life itself.
Instead, a moment of speed, a dark road, and a missed turn changed everything.
This tragedy is not just about reckless driving, it is a painful reminder of how fragile life is, how quickly joy can turn into grief, and how one night can rewrite the fate of families forever.
