Speeding SUV kills rickshaw driver in Navi Mumbai; driver arrested

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A rickshaw driver died on Sunday, July 28, after being struck by a speeding SUV in front of Anjuman School in Vashi, Navi Mumbai. The driver of the SUV left the scene but was apprehended within hours. Pankaj Dahane, Navi Mumbai's Deputy Commissioner of Police, told ANI, "The accident was filmed on CCTV cameras, clearly showing the SUV driver speeding and dragging the rickshaw for a substantial distance. The driver fled instead of assisting the victim."

According to the report, the accident has prompted outrage among residents. There is talk regarding a rivalry between the concerned parties, as the SUV appeared to intentionally run over the rickshaw at great speed.

This accident is one of several recent hit-and-run instances in Maharashtra, which has heightened tensions in the region. On July 9, a 36-year-old woman was murdered in Nashik by a speeding car; the driver was arrested. Similarly, Kaveri Nakhwa, a 45-year-old lady from Worli in Mumbai, was slain on July 7. Mihir Shah, the primary culprit, was caught in Virar on July 9 and brought before the Sewri Court, the ANI report added.

In another incident on May 19, a luxury car driven by a 17-year-old under the influence of alcohol killed two software developers in Pune's Kalyani Nagar area.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has expressed concern about the surge in hit-and-run occurrences and asked the police to take tough action, ensuring that the guilty are not spared, the report added.

Meanwhile, officials on Monday said that a 28-year-old man, who was injured after being hit by a speeding car, died during treatment. Vinod Lad, a supervisor at a Thane-based enterprise, was pronounced dead on Saturday, July 27 a week after the accident.

On July 20, Vinod was hit by a speeding car on Abdul Gaffar Khan Road, near the Worli Sea Link. Bystanders had transported Lad to the hospital and called the police.

Worli Police have filed a charge against automobile driver Kiran Indulkar. However, shortly after being arrested, Indulkar was granted bail and released from detention.

With PTI inputs