A tragic incident occurred on Tuesday evening on Marol Maroshi Road in Andheri (East) when a 26-year-old pillion rider, Ayesha Salmani, lost her life after falling off a motorcycle and being crushed under the rear tyre of a BEST bus. The biker, Ashuthosh Singh, 28, was arrested by MIDC police on charges of rash and negligent riding and causing death due to negligence, based on a complaint filed by Salmani's father. Singh was subsequently released on bail.
Sequence of events
The incident took place around 7pm when Singh was dropping Salmani, who worked as an accountant, to her residence in Sakinaka. According to police, CCTV footage from the spot revealed that the biker lost control of the vehicle, causing it to skid. Salmani was thrown off to the right side and came under the BEST bus. The bus driver only realized he had run over someone after people raised an alarm and signalled him to stop.
Singh, who suffered minor bruises, claimed that he lost control of the bike when he was forced to apply brakes because someone suddenly ran across the road, which lacks a divider. Locals who witnessed the mishap stated that the biker lost control and fell to the left, while the woman fell to the right and was run over by the rear tyre of the bus.
Local concerns
Residents of the area alleged that similar incidents have occurred in the past due to the absence of a divider on the busy Marol Maroshi Road at Bhavani Nagar. Local activist Vikas Bali suggested that the bike may have skidded because of sand on the concrete road, which was relaid a week ago. He added that the woman might have survived with injuries if a divider had been present on that stretch.
Singh was booked under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections 106 (1) (causing death due to negligence), 125 (b) (endangering life or personal safety of others), and 281 (rash driving).
