Man feared drowned as car plunges into river during chase in Goa

Panaji: A 22-year-old man is feared to have drowned after his car plunged into a river while evading another vehicle at a village in North Goa in the wee hours of Sunday, police said.

The police have launched a search for Bhashudev Bhandari, a native of Bharuch, Gujarat, whose car plunged into a river in St Estevan village around 1.25 am, an official said.

St Estevan is around 10 km from Panaji.

Bhandari was driving with a woman when he hit another car in Marcel village. He was speeding as the other car gave a chase, the official said.

Bhandari drove the four-wheeler off a jetty and plunged into the river, he said.

While the woman managed to swim to safety after the car started sinking, the victim remained missing, the official said.

The fire and emergency services and divers from the Indian Navy have been roped in to trace the missing man, he said.