In further investigations of the drink and drive case of Palm Beach road that killed one and seriously injured two, police have found that the accused was attending a private party in Panvel and returning when the accident happened. A BBA graduate, Omkar Pawar (26), who helps his father in vegetable business at Byculla market, had attended a party in a Panvel based restaurant. “He revealed that he had reached back by around 12.30 am and was at Darave to drop a friend and was at his place and after that he was going back home by around 3.30 am when the accident happened,” senior police inspector Brahmananda Naikwadi from Nerul police station said.
In the accident, Manish Shivaji Penekar (40), an Airoli resident, died while his wife Sneha (34) and four year old daughter Ananya received severe injuries. While Sneha is said to be out of danger, Ananya is still critical with a need for multiple surgeries at Apollo Hospital. The police found that the family was returning after celebrating Sneha’s birthday but where were they celebrating is still not clear.
Brother of the deceased, Rajesh registered a case with Nerul police after he got a call from Sneha’s sister informing about the accident. A resident of Vikhroli, he rushed to Navi Mumbai on the wee hours of Thursday after learning about the accident only to find that he had lost his brother.
The accident happened at Sarsole junction at around 3.30 am on Thursday while Pednekar family was going to Airoli, to their residence. The Thar SUV driven by More rammed onto the Kwid being driven by PEdnekar damaging the car extensively and killing Manish on the spot. The accused More was saved due to the airbags and he fled from the spot immediately instead of helping the victim family. The police then traced the accused and arrested him later in the day.
The police had registered the case for culpable homicide not amounting to murder along with negligent and rash driving under BNS and also section for drunk driving under Motor Vehicle Act.
