MUMBAI: Three persons died within 24 hours in separate hit-and-run incidents in the city, two spots are the most accident-prone areas—Ghodbunder Road in Thane and Link Road in Ghatkopar.
In the first incident on Friday, a 55-year-old pillion rider, identified as Manda Daravi, died after an unidentified heavy vehicle hit her two-wheeler near Manpada Bridge on Ghodbunder Road. Her son, Mahesh Daravi, who was riding the bike, sustained minor injuries.
An officer from the Chitalsar police station said they have booked an unknown person in a hit-and-run case and CCTV footage is being checked to identify the vehicle. “The victim, who was riding a pillion, came under the wheels of the heavy vehicle and died on the spot,” said the officer.
Nearly 22 kilometres away from Ghodbunder Road, the second incident of hit-and-run was reported in the early morning of Friday in which a 50-year-old man, a resident of Rahanal village in Bhiwandi was crossing the road and was hit by an unidentified speeding truck from behind, killing him instantly.
The deceased has been identified as Sunil Jittan Mahato. According to police reports, Mahato, who hails from Bizaroli village in Bihar, had moved to Rahanal for work, where he worked as a labourer.
According to Narpoli police officials, he was crossing the road when the truck driver who jumped the traffic signal hit him at high speed. The deceased suffered severe injuries and died due to excessive blood loss. The officer said, “Following the incident, our team quickly reached the scene, conducted a preliminary investigation, and sent the body for post-mortem examination at the local government hospital. Based on a complaint from Sunil’s son, Roshan, we have registered an FIR under section 106 (causing death by negligence) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) against the unknown driver.”
On the same day, a 46-year-old Ghatkopar resident was killed in a hit-and-run accident on Link Road after an unknown vehicle hit him while he was on his way to market. The Park Site police in Vikhroli have registered a case and are checking the CCTV footage to identify the vehicle and its driver.
According to the police, the deceased, Dawood Manzoor Khan, 46, was staying in Nityanand Nagar, Ghatkopar West along with younger brother, his wife and their children while his 76-year-old mother lived in Mumbra for two years. “The incident occurred on Thursday around 4:30pm when Khan was on his way home from the market. When he reached near Nityanand Nagar bus stop Andheri-Ghatkopar Link Road a speeding tanker hit him” said one of his family members.
The FIR was registered based on the statement given by the deceased’s sister-in-law Ruksana Mansoor Khan, 43, who claims that she got a call from a person who lives in their vicinity about Khan’s accident. She along with his daughter, Sadia Khan rushed there.
“When we reached the spot, we found Khan lying on the ground with severe injuries to his head,” said the deceased’s niece Sadia Khan. The people called the police control room and a police vehicle arrived soon with the help of the people, Khan was rushed to the Rajwadi Hospital in Ghatkopar where Khan was declared dead before admission.
The police said the tanker driver fled without giving any help to the injured and without informing the police. We have registered a case against an unknown vehicle driver. There is no CCTV camera at the crime scene but we have been checking the CCTV footage of the vicinity to find out the vehicle, said a police officer.