Mumbai hit-and-run case: Cops looking for eyewitness named Manish

Nearly two weeks after the hit-and-run in which 22-year-old TCS employee Archana Pandya died in Goregaon, police sources say the incident might have an eyewitness called ‘Manish' (second name not known) and he could be an employee of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS).

Mumbai hit-and-run: Girl dies after lying injured in front of police station

Police have put up banners along the highway requesting citizens not to cross the highway

Archana died in front of the Vanrai police station gate on Western Express Highway on May 13. Police sources said that it was Manish (along with two colleagues) who tried to take Archana to a hospital and kept her body on the footpath, and alerted the cops. But the eyewitness did not give a statement, as he did not want to get involved in a police matter. The unknown accused, meanwhile, is still at large.

The inside story
According to the police sources, on May 13 at around 8.15 pm, eyewitness Manish was present at the spot along with two colleagues. They were waiting for a taxi or rickshaw to take them home.

Mumbai hit-and-run: Cops comb CCTV footage, but clues hard to come by

Manish had apparently seen Archana crossing the road from the north-bound side of the highway, and being hit by the unknown vehicle on the south-bound side. These sources added that Manish had also tried to accost the driver of the vehicle, who had stopped to see if Archana was alive or not. But the driver then escaped from the spot.

However, when Manish and his two colleagues tried to take the girl to hospital, not a single auto-rickshaw stopped for the fare. Manish then went to Vanrai police station, informed the cops about the accident and asked for help to take Archana to a hospital.

Police officers reached the spot after getting information from Manish and his two friends, but the eyewitnesses didn't given the police a statement. They told the cops that they didn't want to get involved in a police matter, and they immediately left the accident spot.

Sources also confirmed to mid-day that Manish had seen Archana crossing the highway instead of using the subway. Police sources added, "We are in search of the eyewitness Manish and he is a TCS employee. We are also in search of the other witnesses who were present at the spot. In the same firm, there are many more employees named Manish, and it's difficult to find the correct one."

Cop speak
PSI Kishori Mane, of Vanrai police station, said, "After the accident, one of the youths came to us and he informed us. But he was not ready to give a statement and he ran away from the police station. We don't have that person's name, but we are in search of the eyewitness."

Be safe, not sorry
After this tragic incident, officers from the Vanrai police station have printed banners and hoardings exhorting citizens not to cross the highway. These hoardings also warn the citizens of a fine if they don't use the subway. PSI Mane said, "Each officer of our police station contributed Rs 1000 and we printed hoardings and banners telling people not to cross lanes.

There is a subway near the police station, but people are not using it. People are crossing the roads and they put their lives in danger. We are also fining people who cross the highway. We printed almost 30 banners and stuck them along the Goregaon highway under our jurisdiction."