Mumbai businessman riding new bicycle dies after teen rams car into him

Such was the intensity with which the car hit Tandle’s cycle that he was flung a few metres in the air and died on the spot, police said.

Shrinivas Tandle, associated with one of Kalyan’s oldest cloth stores and well-known in the local business community, died in an accident on Tuesday evening when his bicycle was hit by a speeding car allegedly driven by a 17-year-old boy.

Shrinivas Tandle

The accident occurred on a stretch of the under-construction Kalyan Ring Road that runs parallel to the Ulhas River and had not been opened to traffic yet, residents and family members of the deceased said.

“The stretch is infamous for stunt bikers and motorists who drive recklessly. I demand strict action against the driver,” said Ganesh Tandle, the deceased’s brother.

Such was the intensity with which the car hit Tandle’s cycle that he was flung a few metres in the air and died on the spot, police said.

Shrinivas Tandle had recently bought a new bicycle to lose weight, his family said.

“We have traced the car involved in the incident and confirmed that the driver is a juvenile. We are now investigating the role of his parents and may take action against them and the juvenile accordingly,” said Atul Zende, deputy commissioner of police (zone 3).

Sources in the police said the accused boy was absconding.

Tandle, 42, lived in Rutu Heights in Kalyan’s Khadakpada neighbourhood and he had purchased the bicycle just a day earlier, his friends and family members said.

“My brother had gained weight recently and wanted to add cycling to his exercise routine in the evening. So he purchased a cycle on Monday and went cycling on Tuesday, when he was hit,” Ganesh Tandle told HT.

According to the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), the under-construction Kalyan ring road, spanning around 30 km, is aimed at reducing traffic congestion in Kalyan, Dombivli, and Titwala. Work on the road started during the pandemic and is proceeding in eight phases.

The 2-3 km stretch where the accident occurred comprises a four-lane road running parallel to the Ulhas river; the stretch was readied a couple of years ago but had not been opened to traffic, residents said.

“The road was barricaded to prevent vehicular entry. The question is, who removed the barricades? There must be an investigation into how vehicles were allowed on an incomplete road,” said Rakesh Mutha, former corporator and a close friend of the deceased.

“The city lacks adequate maidans and large gardens, forcing citizens to use such stretches for walking and cycling,” he said, seeking strict action against civic officials whose negligence may have led to the accident.

Dr Sunil Puntambekar, president of the Dombivli Cycling Club and an organiser of group cycling activities in Kalyan-Dombivli for 14 years, said the incident had exposed the growing risks faced by cyclists.

“This region was once largely rural with greenery and minimal vehicular movement. Over the past five years, it has witnessed rapid urbanisation and population growth, leading to a sharp increase in traffic without corresponding infrastructure upgrades. This has significantly increased the risk for both cyclists and pedestrians,” Dr Puntambekar told HT.

Tandle’s tragic death serves as a wake-up call for the cycling community, he said, adding, “Cyclists should avoid riding during peak and evening hours as the city lacks traffic discipline.”

By HT correspondent Kaptan Mali