India / Businessman killed in drunk-driving accident in Mumbai, teenager arrested

A 33-year-old businessman, who was heading to his Andheri home in an app-based cab, was killed on Monday, after a 19-year-old allegedly driving drunk crashed his SUV into the cab on the Western Express Highway (WEH) in Goregaon (East). The cab driver suffered internal injuries to his chest and back.

The businessman Shaileshkumar Mishra, 33 a resident of a housing society in Four Bungalows, is survived by his wife and seven-month-old daughter.

The teenager — Sudhanshu Sabu, 19 — tried to run, but passers-by caught him and alerted the police, who later arrested him. According to the Aarey police, there were two more people in the SUV. All three, including the driver, did not suffer any injuries.

Vinay Rathod, deputy commissioner of police, zone XII, said, “The accused was driving drunk. We have taken blood samples.” According to the police, the accident took place around 1.30am, near Virwani bus stop. Sabu, a resident of Aarey Colony, was allegedly speeding when he hit the car. Sabu was arrested for rash driving, causing death due to negligence and driving in an inebriated condition, under sections 279, 304A of IPC and 185 of the Motor Vehicles Act.

According to the police, Mishra booked the ride from Kandivli. The cab was owned and driven by Suraj Ramani, 21. When the car reached WEH, towards Andheri, the speeding SUV came from the adjacent SIBA road and crashed into the car on its left side.

The police said passers-by rushed Mishra and Ramani in an autorickshaw to Trauma Care hospital in Jogeshwari, where Mishra was declared brought dead.

After Ramani was discharged from the hospital a few hours later, he told HT, “The SUV’s speed must have been 100 to 120 kmph. The car’s headlights were not on. I tried to steer my car out of the way, but there is an 80 kmph speed lock, so I could not get it out of the way in time and the SUV hit the left side of my car. The passenger was alive then, but his entire face was fractured and blood was everywhere.”

“Owing to the airbags in the SUV, the teenager was saved. I saw him coming out of the car. He looked intoxicated. He could not even stand and people had to hold him,” said Ramani.

A police officer from Aarey station said, “We will add the culpable homicide section.” The section — IPC 304 (II) — is added when the driver is found drunk in a fatal-accident case.