Drunk driver runs over two women twice, flees

Three women returning from church service were injured in a shocking hit-and-run incident in the wee hours yesterday.

The women were crossing Holy Cross road in Borivli (West) when a speeding Maruti Esteem, with an inebriated railway ticket collector behind the wheel, rammed the trio and dragged two women for a few metres before running over them.

Three women were crossing the road when Mahajan's car rammed them, throwing one victim aside and fracturing her arm
Instead of stopping after ramming the trio, Mahajan runs over two women, drags them for a few metres and pins them underneath the vehicle
Fearing the repercussions of his actions, Mahajan then reversed his car over the pinned women and flees. Illustration/Amit Bandre

The two injured women were pinned beneath the car and the drunk driver, fearing the repercussions for his actions, reversed the vehicle over them once again and fled the spot while horrified bystanders looked on.u00a0The accused, identified as Subodh Mahajan (38), was arrested shortly after the incident.

Carol Gibson (45), Silin D'souza (55) and a 60-year-old woman requesting anonymity were returning home to Fairy Apartments on Holy Cross Road after service at the IC Colony Church at around 12.15 am when the accident happened.

Gibson suffered a head injury and her condition is stable, while D'souza, who suffered multiple fractures on her right leg and rib cage, is on ventilator support.

Doctors said her condition is critical. Both victims are currently admitted to the ICU at Nanavati Hospital in Vile Parle.u00a0The unidentified victim suffered a hairline fracture to her left hand in the incident.

Eyewitness helps
An eyewitness at the spot identified Mahajan as his old neighbour and jotted down his vehicle registration number, following which the police arrested him two hours later from his residence.

The 60-year-old woman, requesting anonymity said, "We were returning from church and just when we were crossing the road a speeding car hit me from the side and I fell down. The car then hit my friends and dragged them for some distance."

Eyewitnesses claim Mahajan was driving the car and three others were with him at the time of the accident.u00a0They said that after the vehicle dragged Gibson and D'souza, they pleaded with Mahajan to get out of the vehicle to allow them to extricate the injured women.

"Fearing arrest, the accused reversed his car again, crushing the two victims who were still underneath his car," said a resident of the building requesting anonymity.

Police Sub-Inspector Raviraj Jadhav of MHB Colony police station said, "Locals who previously resided in a building near Mahajan's apartment identified him on the spot and reported his whereabouts to us."

Senior inspector Suresh Khilje said, "Preliminary investigations have revealed that Mahajan was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the accident. However, we have sent his blood sample for testing.

We will be adding the relevant sections under drunken driving after obtaining a detailed medical report." Mahajan was remanded to judicial custody till April 13, and granted bail for Rs 10,000.

Rs 10,000
The amount Mahajan paid as bail moneyu00a0