Two killed by a speeding taxi on Eastern Freeway

Two people died after being hit by a taxi on the Eastern Freeway in Mumbai. The driver has been arrested on charges of culpable homicide.

MUMBAI: A 45-year-old Chembur resident and a 55-year-old Antop Hill resident died after they were knocked down by a kaali-peeli taxi on Eastern Freeway Tuesday morning. One of them was waiting at a taxi stand not too far from his home while the other was a passenger in the errant taxi. The RCF police have booked the driver of the taxi on charges of culpable homicide.

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The incident took place around 9.30 am on Tuesday when the Eastern Freeway opens into Shivaji Nagar. After locals alerted the police, a patrolling team of the RCF police station reached the spot. The first deceased was identified as Irfan Idris Ansari, a resident of Kukreja Compound in Chembur. The police team took the seriously injured Ansari to civic-run Shatabdi Hospital in Govandi where he was declared dead on arrival by the doctors.

“From what the family later told us, we gathered that Ansari had left home just a few minutes before the accident. He was on his way to work in Govandi and would usually take a taxi from the spot where the accident took place,” said an officer of RCF police. He added that the speeding taxi coming from the direction of South Mumbai and knocked him down.

The driver was identified as Mohammed Sharif Musahib Ali Sheikh, a resident of Antop Hill. At the time of the accident, the police added, there was a passenger on board Mehmud’s taxi. “The passenger also got hurt during the accident. Immediately after the incident, a crowd gathered at the spot and forced the taxi driver to take the injured passenger as well to hospital. The passenger died at the hospital while undergoing treatment,” the officer said.

Since the police team, as well as the taxi driver, were both in the hospital premises when the deaths were declared, the police immediately arrested Sheikh. “We have charged him under sections 297 (rash and negligent driving) and 304A (causing death by a rash or negligent act) of the Indian Penal Code along with the relevant section of the Motor Vehicle Act. He is currently in police custody,” said the officer.