Man swerves to avoid ditch in Mumbai suburb, falls off bike, dies nine days later

Residents living near the stretch have demanded action against the public works department

Nine days after Navi Mumbai resident Lalit Jain, 36, fell off his bike trying to avoid a ditch, he died at a private hospital in Mulund.

The man suffered severe head injuries after he fell into a ditch on Khambalpada Road in Dombivli MIDC on August 23. (HT File)

Jain, who owns a marble shop in Khambalpada, was returning home at 8 pm on August 23.

He suffered severe head injuries after he fell into a ditch on Khambalpada Road in Dombivli MIDC on August 23.

He also accidentally swallowed some of the chemical water in the ditch, which had been released by a nearby factory. This worsened his condition, said sources.

An autorickshaw driver took him to a private hospital. He was shifted to Thane hospital after his condition deteriorated.

The Khambalpada Road, which connects Kalyan and Dombivli, is in bad shape.

Not only has the public works department (PWD) dug up a stretch and not refilled it for the past three months, but potholes have surfaced on the rest, said residents.

Following the incident, Lalit’s relatives asked the Tilak Nagar police to register a complaint. Police filed a case of accidental death. They were unable to record Lalit’s statement as he was critical.

Residents living near the Khambalpada stretch said the area’s streetlights do not function.

They have now demanded action against PWD officials, citing negligence.

“The road was dug up three months ago. It has not been refilled since then. The road has several potholes. The road was asphalted a year ago and its condition has deteriorated since. The police should investigate and act against the PWD,” said Rajesh Kadam, a resident of Dombivli.