THANE: A woman died, and a man was seriously injured after a truck hit their bike on Ghodbunder Road late on Sunday night. This hit-and-run accident marks the 19th fatality reported this year on the major arterial road, which is riddled with potholes.
The woman, Swati Ravindra Kadam, was the pillion rider and was returning from work at a salon owned by Saroj Jaymangal Thakur, 35. “Due to Diwali, there was a rush at our salon located in Green Square Building in Sanghvi Hills along the Ghodbunder Road. After attending to all the customers, Swati left for her home in Majiwada but couldn’t get an auto rickshaw for a long time. She then requested my brother, Manoj, to drop her off on his bike,” Saroj said.
According to the police, around 11.20 pm on Sunday, their bike was hit by an unidentified truck near Panchamrut Society on the Thane-bound stretch of the road. The impact caused Swati to fall and get crushed under the truck’s rear wheel, resulting in fatal head injuries. The accused driver fled without helping the injured and is still untraceable. “My brother is currently undergoing treatment at the Oscar Hospital in Thane, with serious injuries to his hands and leg,” Saroj said.
NB Kolhatkar, senior police inspector of the Kasarvadavali police station, said the truck driver was yet to be identified. “Our team is trying to trace the vehicle and the accused.”
A case has been registered under sections 106(1) (causing death by negligence), 281 (rash driving or riding on a public way), 125(a) (acts endangering human life or personal safety due to rashness or negligence) and 125(b) (acts that endanger human life or personal safety) of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita, along with sections 134(A) and (B) (duties of the driver in case of accident) of the Motor Vehicles Act, against the unidentified driver.