Man at the wheel was speeding at the time, hit the gas in panic after a biker came in his way; deceased woman’s daughter, 3 others critical
The scene of the accident on Chinchni beach on Wednesday
One person died and 11 people sustained injuries after a car hit a food stall at Chinchni beach, Tarapur, in Palghar district on Wednesday evening. Being Republic Day, the seafront was teeming with visitors at the time of the accident. The police said the driver accidentally hit the accelerator when he wanted to apply brakes.
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The Vangaon police said Boisar resident Sanjay Zhope was driving a car with registration number MH48 CC 2780 belonging to friend Liladhar Ragho Patil. Zhope was driving a car with an automatic gear system for the first time. Cops said Zhope enjoyed the ride and soon started speeding. But just then, a biker came in his way. In a panic, Zhope swerved and pressed the accelerator instead of the brake pedal.
The car zoomed and ploughed into a bhelpuri stall, injuring 12 people. One of them, 68-year-old Khatun Mansoori, died in hospital during treatment. Her daughter Nasima, 45, and three others are critical, they said. The stall and many chairs were also damaged due to the impact. Local journalist Pravin Babar, who visited the spot, said angry locals thrashed Zhope before handing him over to the police.
Assistant police inspector Shreekant Koli of Vangaon police station said, “We have arrested Sanjay Zhope for rash driving. He was produced in the Dahanu court on Thursday. Zhope said he is used to driving a car with manual gears, but this car had an automatic transmission system. He pressed the accelerator instead of the brake and the accident happened.”
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