07 April,2026 03:02 PM IST | Mumbai | Samiullah Khan
Soon after the incident, angry locals gathered at the spot and blocked the road. PIC/ SCREENGRAB
Tension gripped Charkop in Kandivali West, Mumbai, on Tuesday after a tragic road accident claimed the life of a seven-year-old girl, sparking protests and a road blockade by angry residents demanding strict action against those responsible.
The victim, identified as Ritika Chauhan, was a Class 2 student at a BMC school near Oscar Hospital. According to police, she was run over by a speeding dumper while attempting to cross the road.
Officers from Charkop Police Station said Ritika lived with her parents in the Ganesh Nagar locality. The incident occurred in the afternoon when she was returning home accompanied by a neighbour. When she trying to cross the road, she came under the wheels of a dumper.
The impact was severe, resulting in fatal head injuries. She was declared dead at the scene.
Eyewitnesses described the accident as horrific, leaving residents and passersby in shock.
Soon after the incident, enraged locals gathered at the spot and staged a road blockade, demanding immediate action against the driver and stricter traffic regulation in the area. The protest escalated briefly, with tensions running high.
Police teams were deployed to the site to control the situation and restore order.
The dumper driver, who was apprehended by locals immediately after the accident, was later handed over to the police. He has been arrested and booked under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), a police officer confirmed.
Ritika was the eldest of three siblings. Her family is already facing a difficult time, as her mother had delivered a baby just a few weeks ago and is reportedly unwell.
Local political leaders and party workers also reached Charkop Police Station, demanding compensation for the bereaved family and strict punitive action against those responsible.
Police said further investigation into the incident is ongoing.
