Kurla accident: Dumper driver made scapegoat; police yet to file case against officials responsible

While family has clearly said that it was the iron sheet that caused the bike to slip and resulted in the death of an 18-year-old, local cops register FIR against driver who had no chance of averting the tragedy

The Kurla police have filed an FIR against the unidentified driver of a dumper truck in connection with the death of an 18-year-old woman, instead of holding MMRDA responsible for the ill-fitted metal sheet that took her life. Anju Sahu was riding pillion with her brother Vikas when the bike slipped on the sheet on the SCLR, Kurla West. While Vikas survived, Anju was crushed under the truck. Vikas said the driver actually helped them. 

The deceased’s brother, Vikas Sahu, alleged that the iron sheet was not properly fixed and moved when vehicles passed. File pic

Even as the police made the unidentified dumper truck driver a scapegoat in the case, Vikas said that even before he could realise what had happened, the man rushed to help them and took them to a hospital in Kalina. Kurla police have not yet filed a case against the officials responsible for fitting the iron-sheet on the Santacruz-Chembur Link Road (SCLR) outside Kapadia Nagar’s main gate in Kurla West, where the accident happened at 3.30 pm on November 12. Officers said they don’t have any CCTV camera footage to find out how the bike slipped.

“I was riding home with my sister, when my two-wheeler suddenly slipped on the iron sheet. The incident happened in seconds and I heard my sister’s voice. She was found injured on the road. The dumper driver rushed to help me and stopped an autorickshaw. He took us to a hospital in Kalina by auto. I didn’t know that she was crushed under the dumper. On our way to the hospital, Anju told me that she came under the running dumper. It was too painful for her. She cried the entire journey. The dumper truck driver left the hospital after getting us there,” Vikas told mid-day.

The iron sheet on the Santacruz-Chembur Link Road at Kapadia Nagar, Kurla West. It has been removed now. File pic

Vikas said he had told the police that he slipped because of the iron sheet. “Police asked me how I will prove that my bike slipped due to the slippery iron sheet. Police said they will investigate this matter after checking all CCTV camera footage of the area. Meanwhile, they registered an FIR against the unknown dumper driver whose vehicle crushed my sister. The slippery iron sheet is equally responsible for my sister’s death. Police should also book the responsible officials who fixed the slippery iron sheet where it doesn’t belong,” Vikas said. The spot where the accident happened was repaired and the iron sheet was removed recently.

Sub-inspector Sugriv Munde of Kurla police station said, “We have registered a case against the unknown dumper driver for negligent driving and crushing the woman under the dumper. We have recorded the statement of the brother and witnesses. We checked the CCTV cameras of the area but most are not working. We are still investigating how the bike slipped. If we find anything, we will add the respective authorities and people responsible for negligence. While giving his statement, Vikas said he only knows his bike slipped on the plate, but he is still confused how the accident happened. The witnesses told us that they saw only the woman under the dumper.”

Vikas Sahu, brother of the deceased

Over 60 accidents in a month

A prime witness in the case, Baitullah Khan who is a resident of Kapadia Nagar, said, “We had written to Kurla police about the deadly iron sheet [before it was removed recently]. We had witnessed many bikers fall down on the sheet. In the past one month, over 60 people had fallen here and our society members helped them. Before this [Anju’s] accident, a woman’s two-wheeler had slipped on the sheet and she fell down, severely injuring her leg. I helped her.”

“I had even instructed all the vendors to keep an eye out and help if someone slips and falls. It is the authorities’ duty to ensure people’s safety. However, in this case, both the local police and the authorities are equally responsible, as they fail to take any action against people who fixed the sheet. We have written a letter to the Kurla police to take the strictest action against the authorities responsible to give justice to Anju Sahu.”

Nov 12
Day the 18-year-old woman died in the accident

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