Three students killed, one critically injured after BMW plunges from Mumbai Coastal Road

Pics/Atul Kamble

Three students were killed, and another was critically injured after a northbound BMW slipped off the elevated stretch of Mumbai's Coastal Road and fell into the area below near Lotus Jetty in the early hours of Sunday. The four passengers were young students studying at colleges in Mumbai. Police said all four originally hailed from Ahmedabad and were living around Juhu.

Scuff marks left on the Coastal Road wall after the BMW plunged from the elevated stretch. PICS/ATUL KAMBLE

The three - Shanay Gajjar, 21, Aditya Jakasaria, 19, and a 17-year-old boy - were declared dead at Nair Hospital between 6.50 am and 7 am. The fourth passenger, Aditya Oswal, was critically injured and admitted to hospital. He was shifted to a private South Mumbai hospital later in the afternoon.

They were college students

Police said the four were studying at Mumbai-based colleges, with the students attending colleges in Kurla and Vile Parle. They were living around Juhu.

What police are probing

The BMW was travelling from Marine Drive towards Haji Ali when it fell from the elevated stretch. Scuff marks were visible along the sides of the Coastal Road after the crash, and the car was found completely damaged.

Police personnel at the spot after the BMW crash

ADR filed, police are yet to investigate:
>> Speeding
>> Possible intoxication
>> The circumstances in which the car lost control

According to police, Shanay Gajjar was allegedly driving the car. The BMW was registered under the family name and allegedly had a Diu-Daman registration plate.

At Nair Hospital

The mangled BMW after it plunged from the elevated Coastal Road

The trio was taken to Nair Hospital and declared dead between 6.50 am and 7 am. Their post-mortems were conducted at the hospital on Sunday. Friends and relatives of the students were among the first to arrive at the hospital, while their parents travelled from Ahmedabad. Two of the deceased were expected to be airlifted to Ahmedabad. The friends and relatives present at Nair Hospital declined to comment.

Police Speak

Meena Jagtap, senior police inspector,Tardeo police station
‘A passerby who drove off saw the incident and called the police at 05.19 am. Officials reached the site shortly after and took a few minutes to understand where the injured had fallen until they finally found the car.'

The mangled BMW after the crash. Pics/Atul Kamble

The four students

Three killed
>> Shanay Gajjar, 21
>> Aditya Jakasaria, 19
>> 17-year-old boy

One critically injured
>> Aditya Oswal
Police said all four originally hailed from Ahmedabad and were studying in Mumbai-based colleges. According to police, the students were living around Juhu and attended colleges in Kurla and Vile Parle.

A view of the elevated Coastal Road and the mangled BMW below near Lotus Jetty

The crash

5.19 am
A passerby driving past noticed the incident and alerted the police.

A little later...
Police reached the site and began searching for the vehicle after initially trying to establish where it had fallen.

Near Lotus Jetty
The BMW was found badly damaged in the area beneath the elevated road.

6.50-7 am
The three were declared dead at Nair Hospital.

Sunday afternoon...
Aditya Oswal was shifted to a private South Mumbai hospital for further treatment.

By the numbers

4 Students in the BMW

3 Killed in the crash

5.19 am
Police alerted to the incident

1 Critically injured

6.50-7 am
Three declared dead at Nair Hospital

Ahmedabad: Hometown of all four students, according to the police

Diu-Daman: Registration on the BMW