22 September,2026 07:35 AM IST | Mumbai | Aishwarya Iyer
From the unusual position of his remains, it is difficult to determine whether Shanay Gajjar was trying to free himself or reach out to help the other occupants of the BMW. Representation Pic/iStock
Shanay Gajjar, who allegedly drove the BMW that plunged off Mumbai's Coastal Road, was found partly inside the mangled vehicle with his leg reportedly still on the accelerator, police said.
The unusual position has raised questions about what happened inside the car after the impact, whether Gajjar was trying to free himself, get out of the wreckage or reach out to help the other occupants.
[popcorn number="Sept 20" desc="Day incident occurred" class="Default"]
However, with Gajjar and the two other occupants dead and the sole survivor, Aditya Oswal, still unconscious at Breach Candy Hospital, police do not have an eyewitness account of the final moments.
A screengrab of footage showing Shanay Gajjar being confronted over an earlier case of alleged rash driving, prior to the accident that claimed his life. Pic/By Special Arrangement
According to Tardeo police officials, Gajjar was found around the driver's seat, with part of his body inside and part outside the vehicle. The crash occurred between 5 am and 5.20 am on September 20, when the BMW, travelling on the northbound Coastal Road towards Haji Ali, fell from the elevated stretch near Lotus Jetty. Gajjar; Dhairya Sheth, 17; and Aditya Jakasania, 19, were declared dead at Nair Hospital, while Oswal suffered serious injuries. He was shifted from Nair hospital to Breach Candy hospital for further treatment.
Relatives and friends, arrive at Gajjar's residence in Ahmedabad, Gujarat on Monday morning. PIC/Mayur Bhatt
Police are therefore relying on physical evidence, CCTV footage and the condition of the vehicle to determine what happened. CCTV reportedly shows the BMW travelling at high speed before it crashed through the barrier. Police have said the car appeared to be travelling at around 120 kmph, against the 80-kmph speed limit on the main carriageway, although the exact speed will have to be established through the investigation.
Scuff marks left on the Coastal Road wall after the BMW plunged from elevated stretch
The investigation will now have to establish what caused the BMW to leave the elevated road, whether speed or another factor contributed to the crash, and what the physical evidence from the wreckage reveals about the moments immediately after the impact.
Forensic experts examine the mangled vehicle hours after the crash. Pics/Atul Kamble
Senior police officials said that in cases where there is no eyewitness and the driver is found dead, they simply file a report for court proceedings. As of now, no development has been made by the police in the case.
A signboard of Swastic Society in Ahmedabad, where youth resided
>> He is at Breach Candy Hospital
>> He is unconscious, not very stable post-surgery
>> He underwent brain surgery
>> He suffered multiple fractures
Inputs by Ritika Gondhalekar
