Mumbai: Speeding SUV Runs Over Two Men Sleeping At Versova Beach, Autorickshaw Driver Killed
Mumbai: In a tragic incident in Mumbai, two men on a joyride ran over two individuals sleeping on Versova Beach, resulting in the death of a 36-year-old auto-rickshaw driver and leaving another man injured. The accident occurred in the early hours of Monday, August 12, when the two victims were sleeping outside due to the oppressive heat and humidity.
The deceased has been identified as Ganesh Vikram Yadav, a resident of the Sagar Kutir area, while the injured man is Bablu Shrivastava, a delivery boy from Andheri. The police launched an extensive search for the SUV involved in the accident, which led to the arrest of the driver and his friend. Both were presented in an Andheri court on Tuesday, August 13, and were remanded to five-day police custody, according to a report by ANI.
The main accused, 34-year-old Nikhil Dilip Jawate from Nagpur, was driving the SUV, and his accomplice, 33-year-old Shubham Ashok Dongre from Airoli in Navi Mumbai, was also present in the vehicle. The police tracked down the suspects after locating the vehicle used in the incident. Blood samples of the accused have been sent for testing to determine if they were under the influence of alcohol or drugs at the time of the accident.
According to Shrivastava's statement to the police, he was abruptly awakened around 5:45 am by a severe impact on his head and hand. He witnessed the car running over Ganesh, who was sleeping beside him, and observed the driver and his friend fleeing the scene as people began to gather. Ganesh's brother, Bajrangi Yadav, rushed the victims to Cooper Hospital, where the auto-rickshaw driver was pronounced dead.
The police registered an FIR based on Shrivastava's statement and other witness testimonies. A senior inspector from Versova police station, Ganesh Pawar, noted that the driver had borrowed the vehicle for cab service and was dropping off a customer in Mumbai at the time of the incident. He further stated that vehicles are not allowed on the beach, but the suspects managed to enter and were aware that people were sleeping on the beach when they drove over them.
The case has been registered under several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including sections for culpable homicide not amounting to murder, negligent act causing hurt, and rash driving. Additional sections related to the failure to secure medical attention for the injured and the failure to inform the police under the Motor Vehicle Act have also been added.
