A 63-year-old taxi driver fatally plunged into the sea along with his vehicle while driving over an under-construction bridge, unaware of its incomplete section. The mishap occurred at Bhaucha Dhakka near Dockyard Road on the night of November 13. The deceased, Jaiprakash Sharma, a resident of the Mumbadevi temple area, reportedly did not know that the middle stretch of the bridge was yet to be completed. His body was spotted around 7.40 p.m. on Thursday.
Acquaintance Demands FIR for ‘Administrative Negligence’
Taxi driver Dharmendra Dubey (35), an acquaintance of the deceased, has demanded that an FIR be registered under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Section 100 (causing death by deliberate negligence) and other relevant sections against those responsible for failing to maintain adequate safety measures at the incomplete bridge. He also called for an “impartial” investigation, alleging that the death occurred due to serious administrative negligence.
Call for CCTV Footage and Forensic Examination
Dubey said that police must seize CCTV footage from the area and investigate whether proper warning signs or barricades were placed at the accident spot. Seeking a detailed forensic examination, he asserted that Sharma neither consumed alcohol nor had vision-related issues, ruling out personal negligence as the cause of the accident.
Police Probe Underway
Police said the bridge had been demolished and partially reconstructed, and preliminary findings suggest that Sharma drove into the difficult and unsafe stretch. Officers have not ruled out the possibility that he may have been under the influence of alcohol, although they are awaiting medical reports for confirmation.
Body Recovered, ADR Registered
With the assistance of police, the body and taxi were retrieved using a crane. Sharma was taken to J. J. Hospital, where he was declared dead. The Yellow Gate police have registered an Accidental Death Report (ADR).
