JABALPUR: “Now we grieve more over the law than over our daughter,” said Suresh Kosta, father of 24-year-old Ashwini Kosta, one of the two engineers from Madhya Pradesh killed in the tragic Pune Porsche hit-and-run incident. His emotional statement came in response to the Juvenile Justice Board’s (JJB) recent decision to treat the accused as a minor.
Speaking to TOI, Kosta expressed his anguish over the legal outcome. “In today’s world, children mature mentally by the age of 14 or 15, even if the law only recognizes them as adults after 18. If this accident had occurred just four months later, the accused would have been considered an adult under the law,” he said.
Kosta criticized the JJB for not acknowledging the severity of the crime. “Two young lives were lost, and yet the incident is not being treated as heinous. It seems their deaths were not enough to warrant adult prosecution of the accused,” he said. “We will carry this grief forever. But right now, I mourn the failure of the legal system more than the loss of my daughter. Still, we are determined to pursue justice and will approach Maharashtra Police and legal experts to file an appeal.”
O.P. Awadhiya, father of the second victim, Anees Awadhiya (24), also voiced disappointment. “From the very beginning, the JJB has shown undue leniency. The accused was granted bail in just 15 hours, while it took me 58 hours to bring my son’s body home,” he said. “This judgment sends the wrong message to society. We were hopeful because the Maharashtra government has shown seriousness in the case. But it now appears that external pressures may be influencing the process. I’ve been informed that the police intend to challenge the JJB’s decision. I believe the ruling is unjust.”
The deadly crash occurred at 2:30 am on May 19, 2024, on Kalyaninagar-Airport Road under the Yerwada police station jurisdiction. A minor behind the wheel of a Porsche struck a motorcycle, instantly killing Anees Awadhiya and Ashwini Kosta, both 24. The case has since sparked national outrage and renewed debates on juvenile justice, privilege, and accountability.
