On Friday morning, Yashvendra was driving his friend’s car, with her sitting by his side — they were visiting her home in South Delhi’s Vasant Kunj, according to police. The duo studied at the same university in the US where they met and became friends. Police said they spent the previous night at another friend’s house.

The road in the area was slippery due to rain, according to officers. Yashvendra allegedly lost control of the wheel at a sharp turn. The car allegedly struck a tree, before it veered off the road, overturned and plunged into a drain near a red light at Nangal Dewat. The 20-year-old student died and the woman, who was travelling with him, was injured.

“He was rushed for medical treatment but later succumbed to the injuries,” said an officer. A tall muscular boy with an athlete’s build and sharp cheekbones, Yashvendra had been studying at the Indiana University for over two years now. He passed his Class 12 exams from Sanskriti School in Delhi in 2024. He was a national-level basketball player and a gold-medallist.

In a condolence message, the school said, “The Sanskriti School community is deeply saddened by the untimely passing of our beloved alumnus, national-level basketball player and a gold medalist, Yashvendra Singh, from the Batch of 2024, a gifted athlete whose passion for the sport, unwavering determination, and warm spirit; left an indelible mark on our school. As a student, he embodied the values of teamwork, discipline, and perseverance. Whether on the basketball court or within the school community, he inspired those around him through his commitment, humility, and sportsmanship. Though his journey was far too short, the memories he created will remain with us always.”

On Saturday, around 11 am, Yashvendra’s father waited for his son’s body at the mortuary of the Safdarjung Hospital. With a swarm of media personnel outside, he refused to come out.

“Yashvendra’s elder brother also studies in the United States. His father is a decorated officer, who participated in Operation Vijay in 1999 and Operation Parakram in 2002. The family hails from Bulandshahr in Uttar Pradesh,” said another family member.

A couple of Yash’s childhood friends, who had known him since Class 8, were also standing in a corner opposite the mortuary. “He told us that he had come, but we didn’t get a chance to meet him. Last time we could speak before this was a year ago,” one of them said.

Police said they have initiated the necessary legal proceedings, and further investigation into the circumstances surrounding the accident is underway.

The Delhi Development Authority (DDA), under whose jurisdiction the Nallah lies, in a statement, responded to the accident, saying, “It is clarified that a toe wall is already provided along the nallah.

Further, a proposal for construction of an Reinforced Cement Concrete box drain at the location is already under process and is at an advanced stage. DDA had taken up the matter with the Traffic Police on March 23, seeking the requisite NOC for installation of speed breakers on Nangal Dewat Road to address accidents caused by over-speeding vehicles.

However, on July 21, the Traffic Police informed that the proposal for installation of speed breakers at the said location was not found feasible from the traffic management point of view.” It also claimed that police told the authorities that the car was speeding.