Drunk friend of cabbie starts taxi, rams into two women

Police officials said that the women, identified as Archana Gurav, 26, and Manisha Jamadar, 42, are being treated at KEM Hospital. Both the women work as house helps and are residents of Shivshankar Nagar, Wadala East. The impact of the accident was such that Gurav’s hair got entangled in the vehicle and she was dragged for nearly 20 metres. It took other taxi drivers nearly 20 minutes to cut her hair and free her from the car.

MUMBAI: Two women were seriously injured after an inebriated man tried to drive his friend’s taxi and rammed into them while they were walking in Wadala East on Monday evening.

Mumbai, India - July 25, 2023: Two woman aged 26 and 30 were injured after a labourer drunk took his friends cab for a ride and knocked them in Wadala near Vidyalankar college in Wadala East. Both the woman have been admitted in KEM hospital the accused and the taxi driver has been booked and arrested. The police said the taxi driver had forgotten his keys to the car when the friend took it for a ride, in Mumbai, India, on Tuesday, July 25, 2023. (Photo by Anshuman Poyrekar/ Hindustan Times) (Hindustan Times)

Police officials said that the women, identified as Archana Gurav, 26, and Manisha Jamadar, 42, are being treated at KEM Hospital. Both the women work as house helps and are residents of Shivshankar Nagar, Wadala East.

The impact of the accident was such that Gurav’s hair got entangled in the vehicle and she was dragged for nearly 20 metres. It took other taxi drivers nearly 20 minutes to cut her hair and free her from the car.

The Wadala Police said they have arrested the inebriated driver and medical tests have confirmed that he was drunk at the time of the incident. The police have also booked the taxi owner and asked him to appear before them.

According to the police, cab driver Mehboob Hussain Patel, had parked his vehicle in a share taxi stand at Sangam Nagar bus stop near Vidyalankar College and had gone to a public toilet. He had left the car keys behind in the key socket.

“Patel’s cab was first in the queue of share taxies plying from Vidyalankar College to Wadala railway station. Patel had kept the keys of the vehicle, in the key socket and gone to a public toilet nearby,” said a police officer from Wadala Police station.

“Patel’s friend, Dinesh Jaiswal, 26, got into the cab, sat in the driver’s seat and started the car. As it was in gear, the vehicle moved forward with a jerk and purportedly, an inebriated Jaiswal pressed on the accelerator and the vehicle hit the two women.

“Gurav’s hair got entangled in the vehicle and was dragged for around for 20 metres,” said the officer.

The woman’s hair had to be cut before she was separated from the vehicle. “It took us around 20 minutes to free her from the car,” said Munna Khan, a taxi driver.

Shashi Mhatre, Gurav’s brother, said, “Gurav suffered injuries to her head while Jamadar has fractured ribs.

“Gurav married two years back and her husband works as a security guard while Jamadar has two children —a 14-year-old son and a 10-year-old daughter — and her husband is a driver,” added Mhatre.

The police said they have arrested Jaiswal and medical test has confirmed that he was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the incident.

“We have also booked the taxi owner, Patel, and given him a notice under section 41A of the CrPC (notice of appearance before police officer),” said the police officer.

The police officer said the accused are booked under sections 308 (attempt to commit culpable homicide), 279 (rash driving or riding on a public way) and 338 (causing grievous hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others) of the Indian Penal Code.

“There have been several accidents in the past involving share taxi owners as most of the taxi drivers don’t have proper license or batches. However, they somehow manage the authorities and continue driving cabs. This is the third accident involving share taxis in the past few days,” said a relative of Gurav.