In a tragic incident at Mumbai’s Versova beach, a speeding SUV ran over two men sleeping on the sand, resulting in the death of one and severe injuries to the other. The incident occurred in the early hours of August 12 when 36-year-old Ganesh Yadav, a rickshaw driver, and Bablu Srivastava decided to sleep on the beach to escape the city’s oppressive heat and humidity.
According to the police, the accident unfolded when Srivastava was suddenly awakened by a sharp impact on his head and hand. In his dazed state, he witnessed the horrifying moment as the SUV ran over Yadav, who was lying beside him. Srivastava sustained serious injuries to his head and face and lost consciousness shortly after the impact.
The driver of the SUV, identified as 34-year-old Nikhil Jawle, and his friend, Shubham Dongre, 33, initially got out of the vehicle after the accident. However, upon realizing the gravity of the situation and seeing the two men gravely injured, they quickly fled the scene as onlookers began to gather.
The two injured men were later rushed to Cooper Hospital, where Yadav succumbed to his injuries during treatment. Srivastava, though seriously injured, is currently receiving medical care.
Following the incident, the police registered a case against Jawle and Dongre on charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder. Both were arrested and presented before a local court, which remanded them to five days in judicial custody. The police have also sent their blood samples for testing to determine if they were intoxicated at the time of the incident.
This tragic event is part of a disturbing trend of fatal road accidents in Mumbai. Last month, a similar incident occurred in Worli, where a woman was killed, and her husband was injured after their scooter was hit by a BMW car driven by Mihir Shah, the son of Shiv Sena leader Rajesh Shah.
Additionally, on July 22, a speeding Audi car collided with two auto-rickshaws in Mumbai, injuring both drivers and two passengers. Just two days prior, on July 20, another fatal accident occurred in the Worli area, where one person died after being struck by a speeding BMW.
These incidents have raised concerns about road safety in Mumbai, with calls for stricter enforcement of traffic laws and more severe penalties for reckless driving. As the city grapples with these tragedies, the need for improved safety measures on the roads has become more urgent than ever.
