Mumbai: Motorcyclist loses leg in crane collapse on Eastern Express Highway

Pic/Rajesh Gupta

A 44-year-old motorist heading towards Kandivali on his motorcycle lost his left leg when a piling crane collapsed on him. Vipul Subhas Panchal's leg from below his knee was cut off as a result - the accident took place on Saturday morning on the Eastern Express Highway (EEH) at Vikhroli.

Panchal, a resident of Adarsh Nagar in Kandivali West, is an interior designer by profession who works on a contract basis. Panchal was heading home from Navi Mumbai to his home in Kandivali via the EEH when the incident occurred. According to Vikhroli police officials, he was riding a Honda Classic motorcycle and, at around 4 am, as he approached the exit of the Pant Nagar bridge, a trailer carrying an oversized piling machine toppled onto his bike.

The crane was being operated by Lalta Prasad Yadav, 59, a resident of Ramabai Chawl in Surya Nagar, Vikhroli West, who has been identified as the accused. According to Vikhroli police, Yadav admitted during interrogation that he was struggling to manage the load on his trailer before the accident. Despite being aware of the vehicle's heavy capacity, he continued speeding and driving recklessly, officials said.

"Yadav eventually lost control, causing the trailer to overturn and the heavy-duty machine to crash onto Vipul. His left leg was trapped between the bike and the trailer," said Suryakant Naikwadi, senior police inspector, Vikhroli police.