Poor road conditions kill auto driver in Pen

The deceased, Eknath Kisan Kinjawade, a resident of Kamarli, lost control of the rickshaw near the Hanuman temple stretch at Ganpatiwadi village

NAVI MUMBAI: A 53-year-old autorickshaw driver died after his vehicle plunged into the Bhogavati river in Pen on Wednesday afternoon, allegedly while trying to dodge a pothole.

Poor road conditions kill auto driver in Pen

The deceased, Eknath Kisan Kinjawade, a resident of Kamarli, lost control of the rickshaw near the Hanuman temple stretch at Ganpatiwadi village. He was transporting goods for his son’s engagement which was scheduled the next day, when the accident occured. His son-in-law was also with him.

Police said a speeding motorcycle may have caught the driver off guard, making him lose control of his rickshaw. In the absence of a protective crash barrier, the vehicle veered off the road and fell into the riverbed, killing him on the spot.

The co-passenger, Bhushan Patil of Karade-Rasayani, sustained serious injuries and is undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Pen. Officials said poor road conditions contributed to the accident. “The driver tried to swerve to avoid a pothole but lost control. There was no safety railing at the spot,” an officer said.

The incident has sparked anger among locals, who blamed authorities for failing to repair the road and install safety barriers. A case has been registered at Pen Police Station against the unidentified motorcyclist under sections 281 (Rash Driving), 125(a)(b) (Negligent Act), 106(1) (Causing Death) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Sections 184 (Dangerous Driving) and 134 (Accident Duty) of the Motor Vehicles Act.