Mumbai: BMW crash victim was in the city for laser surgery

Bhattacharya’s father Pal collected her belongings on Saturday

The drunk sailor who crashed his mother's BMW in the early hours of Thursday in Juhu, leading to the death of a 29-year-old, was driving at a speed of more than 120 kmph, the family of the victim suspects. The accused, Ardhvyu Vijay Bandekar, 27, who works in the Merchant Navy, was accompanied by three other friends - Pallavi Bhattacharya, 29, Bharti Dilprasad Rai, 24, and Ankit Narendra Khare, 38.

The friends were returning after partying at a Saki Naka resto-bar around 3 am, when the crash took place. Bandekar who was driving on a narrow lane in Juhu, didn't notice the speed breaker near the Juhu police station, and lost control, crashing into a BMC garbage truck. Bhattacharya died on the spot, while the others sustained injuries.

Pallavi Bhattacharya

Bhattacharya was an air-hostess at a recently-declared bankrupt airlines, and had come to Mumbai for laser treatment of her tattoos. The daughter of a retired banker, Bhattacharya, who was based out of Delhi, had applied for a job at another airlines as an air-hostess. Her new employer had informed her to get the tattoos removed. "She had come to Mumbai for the surgery," Bhattacharya's brother-in-law Sandeep Chakraborty told mid-day. "She was also going through a financial crisis and had taken the help of Ardhvyu. She was staying at his home with his family," he added.

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According to Chakraborty, Bandekar had been speeding on the narrow lane, when the accident happened. "I met the police officer who is investigating this matter; he told me that there is a sensor near the police station detecting speed of vehicles. It was found that the car was driving at 120 kmph," said Chakraborty, adding, "The CCTV footage showed the car fly in the air and crash onto a parked truck and auto."

Bhattacharya's family arrived in Mumbai from West Bengal on Saturday afternoon. They have taken custody of the body for the final rites. Speaking with mid-day, investigating officer PSI Anushri Bharamgonda of Juhu police station said that the police is currently investigating the crime. "Bandekar has also been injured in the incident and he is admitted at a Malad-based hospital. We have also sent a notice to him. Once he recovers, we will take action. We have registered the FIR and started investigations," he said.