A 30-year-old political party worker died in a car accident near Everard Nagar in Sion early on Saturday while he was on his way back from Bhiwandi. The deceased, Wasim Akhtar Shaikh, was in his car with his cousin and friends, when the car dashed the divider and hit a tree, killing Shaikh. Chunabhatti Police recorded a case of rash and negligent driving causing self death and injury to others.
Police said, on Friday, Shaikh, an Andheri resident, who had helped a number of people during the coronavirus pandemic by distributing food items and essentials to those in need, had taken his cousin for a birthday dinner at Bhiwandi. At this location, a small surprise party was organised for the celebration at midnight, following which the group had dinner and were on their way back to the city in Shaikh's Fortuner car (MH-05-CK-144).
On their way back, the Fortuner car driven by Shaikh, was occupied by five more friends. When the vehicle reached Everard Nagar in Sion around 3.30am on Saturday, it was raining and the car was speeding as well. While in speed, the car dashed a divider, which swirled and hit a tree on the opposite side of the road, where the door of the driver's seat was shattered, killing Shaikh, said Deepak Pagare, senior inspector of Chunabhatti police station.
Shaikh was immediately rushed to the civic-run Sion Hospital by the other motorists, but was declared dead before admission. Meanwhile, Shaikh's cousin and other friends sustained minor injuries. Pagare added that even though the air bag was inflated, the impact of the car's damage caused fatal injuries on Shaikh's chest and leg.
