Mumbai: A 31-year-old labourer who had recently migrated from Uttar Pradesh to Mumbai for work purposes, died in a road accident on Thursday night. The victim was walking towards Sewree from Cotton Green when a drunk taxi driver rammed into him to death.
The victim, identified as Mohammad Naim Sheikh, originally a resident of Siddharthnagar, a district in UP, moved to the city three months ago. He was living with his sister and brother-in-law at Govandi. Sheikh worked as a labourer at a factory in Jogeshwari.
Victim declared dead at KEM hospital
On the day of the incident, according to Naim's brother-in-law, Iqbal Shaikh, Naim received a dinner invitation at a relative's place located on Zakaria Bunder Road in Sewree. Iqbal was also invited and reached the location, where he waited for Naim. However, Naim did not show up. Around 9:30 pm, tired of waiting, Iqbal decided to go back home when he noticed a crowd standing in the middle of the road.
"I saw a tempo had toppled over and learned that there was a collision between the tempo and a taxi. A little ahead, I saw an injured man and some people standing beside him. When I went to check, I realized it was Naim, in a bloodied state. Passersby informed me that the taxi had hit my brother-in-law," said Iqbal.
According to the police, Naim was walking on the side of the road when the taxi approached from behind, hit the tempo, and then collided with Naim, throwing him a short distance away. Naim sustained injuries to his head and both legs.
They took Naim to KEM Hospital for treatment, but he was declared dead during the treatment due to excessive blood loss and head injuries.
After the inspection, the police found that the taxi driver, identified as Sachin Landge, 25, a resident of Chembur, was intoxicated and still driving the vehicle. Due to his drunken state, Sachin couldn't control the vehicle when the tempo slowed down ahead. In an attempt to regain control, he collided with Naim, the police said.
Although Sachin did not flee the scene, he was so disoriented that he couldn't immediately take the victim to the hospital.
The police arrested Sachin, and a complaint has been registered against him. Charges including 279 (rash driving), 304 (A) (causing death due to negligence) of the Indian Penal Code, and sections 134 (a) (not taking reasonable steps to secure medical attention for the injured person) and 185 (driving a vehicle under the influence of alcoholic substances, above the prescribed limit) of the Motor Vehicles Act have been filed against Sachin.
