It is suspected that Salim Sheikh may have consumed alcohol and failed to control the car he was driving; his friend who received serious injuries is in a critical condition
A 37-year-old police informer was killed on the spot, and his friend received serious injuries, after he lost control of the car in which they were travelling in the wee hours of Tuesday.
The car that Salim Sheikh was driving
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According to police, the deceased, Salim Sheikh, and his friend Nadeem Sheikh, were heading towards Goregaon in a Swift Desire car. Police said Salim, who was driving, lost control and the car rammed into a pillar near the Sonali Industrial Estate at Malad (W). Nadeem was admitted in the nearby Zenith Hospital at Mithchauki and is in a critical condition.
Salim Sheikh (left) died on the spot and his friend Nadeem is critical
According to sources, Salim is a known face in police circles. He was associated with various police officers and worked for them as an informer. Nadeem, who is also an RTI activist, stays at Madh and works in the film industry.
During the search of Salim’s car, Malad police found a bottle of wine and gutkha. It is suspected that he may have consumed alcohol before getting behind the wheel.
An eyewitness, Manzoor Khan, a businessman, told mid-day, “I was on the way home to Chincholi when suddenly a Swift Desire car zipped past me. It was speeding, must be around 140 km/hr and after crossing Kanch Pada traffic signal, it dashed with a pillar and then the wall of Sonali Industrial Estate gate. I stopped my car and rushed towards it. The driver was dead on the spot and the other passenger, Nadeem, was alive. With the help of some auto drivers and locals, I took the injured to the Zenith Hospital in my car. I paid R25,000 to the hospital for his treatment.”
Police speak
“On primary information, we have registered an Accidental Death Report (ADR), and are waiting for the post mortem report, in which we will come to know if Salim was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the accident,” said Senior Inspector Sudhir Mahadik of Malad police station.
Despite repeated attempts to contact them, the family of Sheikh remained unavailable for comment.