Despite clever disguise, cops track down hit-and-run biker

Inamul Vadiya who was arrested by the JJ Marg police within 13 days of the crime

The seasoned cops of JJ Marg police station saw right through the desperate efforts of a biker who disguised himself after knocking down a senior citizen and escaping. They tracked him down within 13 days and arrested him. The accident took place on March 1 at 3 pm near Bhendi Bazaar junction where the victim, Rajaram Yadav, 70, was knocked down by Inamul Vadiya, 24, while the elderly man was crossing the road.

"After the accident, Yadav fell, writhing in pain but Vadiya sped off," said an officer privy to the investigation. Passers-by and local shop owners rushed Yadav to JJ Hospital and police were informed. The zonal deputy commissioner of police Abhishek Trimukhe formed a team of cops including PSIs Rajendra Ghevdekar and Sachin Dhage, and divisional ACP Avinash Dharamadhikari as well as senior PI Shirish M. Gaikwad.

The team was asked to crack the case as the condition of victim had started to deteriorate at St George hospital. "We scanned CCTV footage but the registration number of the two-wheeler was not readable. But, the colour and make of the two-wheeler were sufficient," a senior police officer told mid-day.

Vadiya had changed his get-up entirely to evade the police net. "Vadiya had long hair before the accident. But, immediately after knocking down Yadav, he got his head tonsured. Also, he had changed a few things about his scooty such as its seat cover and added arms to make it hard to trace it to him," the officer said.

The probe team scanned footage of around 25 CCTV cameras of the narrow lanes Vadiya took to escape. "It was a blue scooty whose registration number was not readable in the footage but while scanning CCTV footage we found the scooty parked at a spot. When we enquired about it with people around, we got clues to its rider identity, who people said was long-haired. When we reached his house, though, he had changed his look," said another officer. On March 13, Vadiya was hauled to the police station where he confessed to his crime after cops grilled him.

Zubeda Patanwala

78-year-old woman crushed by dumper

A 78-year-old woman died in south Bombay after she came under the right rear wheel of a loaded garbage dumper on Mohammad Ali Road on Thursday. The deceased Zubeda Patanwala was returning after offering prayers in a mosque. Eye-witnesses said she was crossing the road when the dumper hit her and sped away. People from the mosque identified Patanwala and informed her daughters who live nearby. She was rushed to Noor hospital where she was declared dead before admission. Patanwala used to visit the mosque every alternate day, said her son-in-law Abbas Chawalwala. She is survived by her husband Mohammad Patanwala and two married daughters. The Pydhonie police arrested the driver Imtiyaz Mallik, 38, from Crawford Market area.

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