Taxi driver crushed under Taj hotel's gate; kin want hotel pulled up

Mewalal Yadav

The Cuffe Parade police have booked the owners of a private company, for causing the death of a 59-year-old taxi driver, after a gate of hotel Taj Vivanta fell on him. The deceased, Mewalal Yadav's, family has questioned the police, asking them why someone from the hotel was also not booked, as the company personnel were working on the maintenance of its gate.

Police said on December 12, Yadav, driver of a cool cab, and his friend, Maqsood Ahmed Khan, were walking towards a juice centre near the hotel. "I went ahead and heard a loud thud behind me. When I turned, I saw the huge gate had fallen and Mewalal was under it," said Khan. "We took him to Bombay Hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival by doctors," added Khan. The post mortem by GT Hospital confirmed the death of Yadav due to the head injury caused by the gate that crashed. Cuffe Parade police registered an offence under IPC Section 304 (A) (Causing death due to negligence) and booked thea company for negligence.

"If the work was of the five-star, why have the police only booked the company which was doing the maintenance work? Onus is also on the hotel. Their staff met us after the incident, said they will help but did not do anything," said Ganesh, younger son of Yadav.

But a spokesperson of Taj Vivanta said they were in touch with the family. "It is a very unfortunate accident. We are deeply saddened and express our heartfelt condolences to the family of the bereaved. We are in touch with them," said the spokesperson. Rashmi Jadhav, senior inspector, Cuffe Parade police station, said, "We are checking all documents related to the work and will act subsequently."

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