Arvin Batra of Hicksville and Hamza Rizvi of Bethpage were killed early Christmas Eve when Rizvi’s 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee crashed on Woodbury Road in Hicksville.
The Nassau County Police Department Second Squad said that the men were traveling eastbound on Saturday, Dec. 24 at 6:06 a.m. when Rizvi apparently lost control of the Jeep, which struck a tree and caught fire near Wilfred Road. Batra and Rizvi were pronounced dead at the scene.
Detectives continue to investigate the accident and ask anyone with information to contact Nassau County Crime Stoppers at 1-800-244-8477. All callers will remain anonymous.
According to Indian Panorama, Arvin was the son of Ajay Batra, whom it described as a community activist and owner of the Indian Variety Show that airs on Cablevision Sunday nights.
The newspaper went on to note, “Arvin Batra, well known for his accomplishments in Bollywood dances, TV shows and cultural programs, was a rising star of the Indian American community.”
It added that a “large number of Indian American community members visited Mr. Ajay Batra‘s home in Hicksville” to offer their condolences. Also, “Many from the Indian American community as also a large number from Pakistani community visited Mr. Rizvi to share the family’s grief over the tragic and untimely death of Hamza.”
A GoFundMe page set up by “his first cousins collectively” paid tribute to Arvin and raised more that $28,000 to set up a scholarship and benefit charities.
A writer who was clearly Arvin’s older brother but did not reveal his name wrote the following on the GoFundMe page:
“ ’Twas the morning before Christmas and my little dearest brother was heaven’s present. It’s supposed to be a very joyous day and everyone’s with their families and friends. For this family, it’s very different. It turned into the nightmare before Christmas. How could he leave us? He had his Christmas party for his family and friends all planned out. He always wanted to satisfy everyone and most of the time he did and his biggest goal in life was to make sure his parents get the world and are always taken care of. So soon, so young, such a Humble person. No one would have ever imagined. It’s so unbelievable, so shocking, no words could describe what this family is feeling. I can’t even form my sentences properly I didn’t even know what to say. Brought up as a baby with a loving family, raised as a caring child with all the love possible, cared for by so many family and friends as a young adult, became a man as a child in our eyes. It’s so sad to say or even hear you’re gone. But you’re not. We just won’t physically see you anymore. We sit here in tears on this Christmas Day with our hearts in pieces only to try to remember and recover and plan for our future because you will be in all of our lives forever. 21 years old standing on top of the world looking down always looking for the next step of what to conquer. 1 month away from your 22nd birthday it will still be celebrated I promise you.”
To make a donation, visit https://www.gofundme.com/arvin-batras-funeral-and-memorial.
