Driver was speeding, but not drunk: cops

The police are awaiting an inspection report from the Regional Transport Office (RTO) to ascertain whether a mechanical flaw in the vehicle caused the 49-year-old driver, Babu Kamble, to drive the dumper into 18 vehicles, killing two and injuring six others on Friday.

The police are awaiting an inspection report from the Regional Transport Office (RTO) to ascertain whether a mechanical flaw in the vehicle caused the 49-year-old driver, Babu Kamble, to drive the dumper into 18 vehicles, killing two and injuring six others on Friday.

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A preliminary medical report has revealed that he was not driving under the influence of alcohol. The police said Kamble was speeding on the road because it slopes downward and has no speed breakers. This, they suspect, caused him to lose control of the vehicle.

“The right front tyre of the vehicle was found to be deflated. We are unsure if it burst after the rampage, or if this is what caused him to spin out of control,” said Suresh Hujband, senior inspector, MIDC police station. “The RTO report will be available by Tuesday and should make the explanation clearer.”

According to the MIDC police, Kamble and the cleaner of the vehicle, identified as Pappu, fled the spot immediately after the accident, fearing public wrath. Kamble was arrested a few hours later and underwent a medical test to check for alcohol in his blood.

“A confirmation [on whether he was drunk] will be available only once his blood reports arrive on Monday,” said Hujband.

Ragpickers Chandrabhabha Jadhav, 50, and her son, Arun, 35, were identified as the two people who died. Both residents of Madrasiwadi in Pameri Nagar at JVLR, they were eating lunch on the footpath when they were run over. They were declared dead at Cooper hospital.

The police said the six injured persons were taken to the nearby Cooper and Holy Spirit hospitals. Among them were Balkrishna Narayan Raut, 48, Suresh Goswami, 32, Vijay Francis, 72, Mary Francis, 65, and Ramsingh Patel, 45.

“None of them have sustained grievous injuries and are out of danger,” said Hujband.

A case has been registered against Kamble for causing death due to negligence, causing grievous hurt, rash and negligent driving among others, the police said.