On Sunday, as Panchals were returning home from daughter-in-law’s baby shower, they were excited about welcoming a new member. They never imagined they would lose a beloved member the same day
On Sunday, as the Panchals were returning home from their daughter-in-law’s baby shower, they were excited about welcoming a new member to the family. They never imagined they would lose a beloved member the same day.
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Also Read: Man bleeds to death as auto skids on Mrinal Gore flyover
Deepak Panchal fell on his head and died within minutes
No one was more excited about the expected baby than 58-year-old Deepak Panchal, who died in an accident on the way back from the godh bharai ceremony in Malad. As mid-day had reported earlier, Deepak, his wife and sister-in-law were in an auto rickshaw on the Mrinal Gore flyover when the driver lost control of the vehicle. The auto began to skid on the slippery surface of the new flyover, and as the driver hit the brakes, another car rammed them from behind. The impact caused the auto to turn 180 degrees, and Deepak fell out of the vehicle and hit his head on the road (‘Man bleeds to death as auto skids on Mrinal Gore flyover’, July 11).
Deepak Panchal
“It happened so suddenly, I don’t know how and when he fell from the auto. He fell on the right side, and we fell the other way. He was in a pool of blood when we found him,” said his wife, Aruna (52).
“Our daughter-in-law is seven months pregnant and my husband was very excited to welcome our first grandchild. I am thankful that she wasn’t travelling with us,” Aruna added.
Read Story: Mrinal Gore flyover accident: '108 had received another emergency call'
“Deepak started bleeding profusely from his head, so a biker called 108. He was bleeding from his mouth and ears. The medical attendees pumped his heart and tried their best to resuscitate him, but he started vomiting. Within minutes, he succumbed to death. The ambulance doctor declared him dead,” recalled Aruna.
Eyewitnesses alleged that the 108 ambulance staff refused to take the body to hospital. The family called the police, who transported the body in a police van.
“108 told us that they can’t take a dead body if he/she dies on the spot as they need to attend to continuous emergency calls,” said Akhil, Deepak’s son.
When asked if 108 had received any other emergency call at the time, he said, “I don’t know that because I wasn’t present at the spot, and my mother was in no condition to recollect such details.”
The family will remember Deepak as a caring man who always helped others and was looking forward to the future. A close relative, Indu Panchal, said, “The family is a simple and loving one. The entire family was excited for the
new member to be added in the family, especially the father who is no more. The situation has gone from extreme happiness to extreme depression.
— Inputs by Neha LM Tripathi