Drunk driver rams auto, lands 26-yr-old animator in ICU

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Charu Khandal (26), who works as an animator in a production house, was on her way home after having dinner at Juhu with her sister Ritu Khandal (21), and friend Vikrant Goel (27), when the mishap occurred at an intersection in Oshiwara. Charu has suffered injuries to her spinal cord and is in a critical state, while Ritu escaped with minor injuries. Goel has also suffered injuries and is under observation at the hospital. u00a0

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The cops have booked the driver of the car Manoj Kumar Gautam (39), a Lokhandwala resident, for rash driving and driving in a drunken state under Section 304A and 304-II of the IPC. But the Holiday Court granted him bail yesterday.u00a0“We arrested Manoj on charges of rash driving and driving under the influence of alcohol. Charu’s condition is critical, while the other two are out of danger,” said Senior Police Inspector Dilip Rupwate of Oshiwara police station.

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Killer turn

According to the cops, as the rickshaw reached the turn near the restaurant, a speeding Honda City crashed into it, toppling the rickshaw and injuring the occupants. They were rushed to Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital where they are undergoing treatment.u00a0“We had dinner and left from Juhu. As we reached Oshiwara, a speeding car rammed into our rickshaw,” said Ritu.u00a0

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Arshad Iqbal, an eyewitness, said that the spot where the accident took place is a notorious turn and has witnessed several accidents in the past. “When I saw the car ram into the rickshaw, I immediately ran towards it. The driver of the car was trying to run away from the spot, but I followed him and apprehended him,” said Iqbal.u00a0The police added that Charu was due to be engaged next month. While Ritu is a sales manager in a four star hotel, Goel is a manager in a five star hotel in the city.