Audi rams into two autos in Mulund, 4 injured; driver allegedly drunk

The Audi owner, Vijay Gore, 43, who was driving the car at the time of the accident, purportedly under influence of alcohol, has been arrested, said police

MUMBAI: Four people including two auto drivers and two passengers were injured in a hit-and-run accident after a speeding Audi car hit two autorickshaws in Mulund West at around 6:15am on Monday. The Audi owner, Vijay Gore, 43, who was driving the car at the time of the accident, purportedly under influence of alcohol, has been arrested, said police.

Gore left Karjat early in the morning on Monday and took a right turn off the Eastern Express Highway after crossing Mulund toll plaza. He entered Mulund West and was headed to Thane via the Dumping Road when he hit an autorickshaw driven by Santosh Walekar, 49, which in turn hit another autorickshaw driven by Santosh Jaiswal, 26. ( Praful Gangurde /HT Photo )

Police officials said Gore, who works in an IT firm and lives in Runwal Forest in Kanjurmarg West with his family, was stinking of alcohol when he was arrested around 4-5 hours after the accident. His blood samples have been collected and sent to the forensic science laboratory for ascertaining the blood-alcohol content, they added.

“Gore managed to flee from the spot soon after accident, leaving his luxury car behind and we arrested him later from his sister’s house in Kanjurmarg,” said a police officer.

According to the police, Gore had left his house at around 7pm on Sunday and consumed alcohol in Bhandup, after which he travelled to Thane and then to Karjat. He left Karjat early in the morning on Monday and took a right turn off the Eastern Express Highway after crossing Mulund toll plaza. He entered Mulund West and was headed to Thane via the Dumping Road when he hit an autorickshaw driven by Santosh Walekar, 49, which in turn hit another autorickshaw driven by Santosh Jaiswal, 26.

Both Walekar and Jaiswal were ferrying a passenger each. Prakash Jadhav, 46, a BEST employee, was headed to his office in Walekar’s auto while Hanuman Chavan, 57, was travelling in Jaiswal’s auto. Both the auto drivers and the passengers suffered injuries due to the accident.

“Walekar was severely injured and fractured his leg. Jaiswal was also injured on his leg while Jadhav was injured on his wrist. They are all admitted in different hospitals and their condition is stable,” said senior inspector Ajay Joshi from Mulund police station.

Soon after the accident, Gore left his Audi at the site and fled to his residence in an auto. But after he found that his house was locked as his wife had stepped out for some work, he went to his sister’s place in Kanjurmarg East, from where he was apprehended, said police.

When the Mulund police reached the spot after being intimated about the accident, they found Gore’s mobile phone in his car.

“We found that the car was registered at an address in Malad and visited the location, only to find that he had sold his flat and shifted to Kanjurmarg. We then got his present address and visited his residence, but that too was locked,” said a police officer.

The police then inquired with his neighbours, who provided his wife’s mobile number. “We spoke to her and learnt that he was at his sister’s place, so we rushed there. He was stinking of alcohol when we arrested him,” said the officer.

Gore has been booked under section 281 (rash driving), 125 (A) (B) (act endangering life or personal safety of others, causing hurt and greivous hurt) and 110 (attempt to commit culpable homicide) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and sections 185 (drunk driving), 184 (dangerous driving) and 134 (duty of driver in case of accident and injury to a person) of the Motor Vehicles Act. He will be produced in court on Tuesday, said police.