Even as the police claim that the constable who was driving the Qualis that knocked down the bike being ridden by the 21-year-old Avani Desai was not drunk at the time of the incident, the girl’s mother has alleged the driver was reeking of alcohol. Talking to HT outside the Nanavati hospital in Vile Parle, Vaishali Desai said, “Soon after the accident, I met the constable who was driving the Qualis. He told me that he was suffering from conjunctivitis. However, I do not trust him. He was reeking of alcohol and was obviously drunk.”

DCP (zone 8) Namdeo Chavan, however, told HT that the medical test of constable Jalindar Bhosale, the driver, states he had not consumed alcohol. Desai also claimed that the road where the accident took place is quite narrow, and vehicles cannot move at a speed of more than 20–30 kmph.

But Desai is not convinced. “Looking at the injury marks my daughter suffered, it appears the driver must have been moving at high speed. It seems to be a case of rash driving,” she said.

Although the Desais are shattered by their daughter’s demise, their woes are far from over. Desai said, “My 11-year-old son Varun, who is still recuperating in the hospital, does not know that Avani is no more. He is too young to deal with the sorrow of losing a sister. He will be devastated.” Varun was riding pillion with Avani when the incident took place.

Desai added that her daughter was a final-year animation student and was working with an IT company. “Avani was to quit her job on Monday as she wanted to spend some time with us,” she said.