Four dead, one injured as truck topples onto them in Vikhroli

Driver arrested; residents blame BMC for open manhole he was trying to avoid

The truck that toppled over on Thursday night.

Four people were killed and another was seriously injured after a truck overturned while taking a turn and fell on them in Vikhroli late on Thursday. While the police have arrested the truck driver, local residents, who gathered outside the police station, also blamed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for the incident.

According to the Parksite police, the incident occurred around 11.45 p.m. in Surya Nagar, Vikhroli. The police said the truck was on its way out of the area after delivering rations to a local store. While taking a turn, the driver lost control over the vehicle, and it toppled onto the five people who were standing near it.

Local residents rescued all the five victims and rushed them to Rajawadi Hospital in Ghatkopar. While Ashwin Hiware (32), Vishal Shelar (22), Abdul Hamid Sheikh (42) and Chandrashekar Musale (40) were declared dead before admission, Chand Hassan Sheikh (41), is critically injured and still under treatment.

Surya Nagar residents blamed an open manhole at the spot, which the truck driver was trying to avoid, for the accident.

Police inspect the uncovered manhole at the accident spot in Vikhroli on Friday.

“Everyone, including the police, is blaming the driver for the tragedy. However, the people here saw that the truck toppled over because of the manhole. It is clear whose fault this actually is. The lid of the manhole has already been repaired thrice in the last six months and is now being installed again. Who is responsible for the brothers we have lost?” Suresh Gupta, a resident, said.

Another resident, Munna Giri, said, “If the manhole had been covered like it was supposed to be, this would never have happened. Four people have lost their lives for nothing. The government should compensate their families and take care of their children’s education.”

Residents protest

Furious residents gathered outside the Parksite police station on Friday morning and protested for several hours, before dispersing.

Meanwhile, the police have arrested the truck driver, Deepak Jadhav, and charged him with causing death due to negligence under the Indian Penal Code, along with sections of the Motor Vehicles Act.

“We are identifying the contractor responsible for the manhole and will take appropriate action based on the results of our inquiries,” senior police inspector Vilas Jadhav, Parksite police station, said.

Vinod Sankhe, deputy chief engineer (eastern suburbs), stormwater drain department, could not be reached for comment.