30 August,2024 01:48 PM IST | Mumbai | Ranjeet Jadhav
The victim, Navin Mukesh Vaishnav
A resident of Aarey Milk Colony lost his life in the early hours of Thursday after being hit by a speeding vehicle driven by a minor. mid-day has repeatedly reported on the dangerous conditions of this road, due to the absence of speed breakers, which continue to endanger pedestrians and two-wheeler riders.
Navin Mukesh Vaishnav, 24, lost his life in an accident on Aarey Road near the Aarey signal early this morning, between 4.30 and 5 am.
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"Navin was rushed to a nearby hospital, but unfortunately, he succumbed. We have apprehended Adnan Sakib Khan, 17, who was driving the vehicle. He was speeding at the time of the accident. The vehicle's owner, Iqbal Usman Jivini, has also been taken into custody. We are currently awaiting the post-mortem reports and are in the process of filing an FIR," said Senior PI Rampiyare Rajbhar of Vanrai Police Station.
Locals gather at the accident site
The senior PI added, "The accused, a local resident of Aarey Colony in Goregaon East, is not suspected to have been under the influence of alcohol, based on our initial inquiry and investigation. However, we have collected blood samples and sent them for testing to confirm this.
The deceased was on his way from Aarey to Lokhandwala Complex to deliver milk when the incident occurred. A local cattle farm owner said, "The absence of speed breakers on the main road allows vehicles to drive at very high speeds. This boy died because there was no speed breaker. We hope the authorities take this tragic incident seriously and that the traffic police permit the BMC to install speed breakers."
On June 5, 2023, mid-day reported that the forest department, after taking note of excessive speeding on the concretised section of the Aarey Milk Colony main road - an issue first highlighted by mid-day on June 2, 2023 - plans to request the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to install speed breakers on this stretch .
Residents have repeatedly called for the installation of speed breakers and rumble strips on the 2-km-long section of the main road. Motorists and two-wheeler riders tend to speed on this stretch after 10 pm, endangering their own lives and posing a threat to wildlife.
The SUV vehicle that ran over the victim
In February, mid-day also reported on how the BMC allegedly overlooked the need for pedestrian facilities on the main Aarey road. The lack of designated space or pavements for pedestrians is a major safety concern. Senior PI, Vanrai police station said, "The vehicle owner and his son have been arrested. The owner's son was the one who gave the vehicle to the minor. The juvenile is detained and will be produced in court on Friday. The group of six individuals were returning home from a party in Royal Palms."
