Kurla accident: Dumper driver made scapegoat; police yet to file case against officials responsible

The Kurla police have filed an FIR against the unidentified driver of a dumper truck in connection with the death of an 18yearold woman instead of holding MMRDA responsible for the illfitted metal sheet that took her life Anju Sahu was riding pillion with her brother Vikas when the bike slipped on the sheet on the SCLR Kurla West While Vikas survived Anju was crushed under the truck Vikas said the driver actually helped themThe deceasedrsquos brother Vikas Sahu alleged that the iron sheet was not properly fixed and moved when vehicles passed File picEven as the police made the unidentified dumper truck driver a scapegoat in the case Vikas said that even before he could realise what had happened the man rushed to help them and took them to a hospital in Kalina Kurla police have not yet filed a case against the officials responsible for fitting the ironsheet on the SantacruzChembur Link Road SCLR outside Kapadia Nagarrsquos main gate in Kurla West where the accident happened at 330 pm on November 12 Officers said they donrsquot have any CCTV camera footage to find out how the bike slippedldquoI was riding home with my sister when my twowheeler suddenly slipped on the iron sheet The incident happened in seconds and I heard my sisterrsquos voice She was found injured on the road The dumper driver rushed to help me and stopped an autorickshaw He took us to a hospital in Kalina by auto I didnrsquot know that she was crushed under the dumper On our way to the hospital Anju told me that she came under the running dumper It was too painful for her She cried the entire journey The dumper truck driver left the hospital after getting us thererdquo Vikas told middayThe iron sheet on the SantacruzChembur Link Road at Kapadia Nagar Kurla West It has been removed now File picVikas said he had told the police that he slipped because of the iron sheet ldquoPolice asked me how I will prove that my bike slipped due to the slippery iron sheet Police said they will investigate this matter after checking all CCTV camera footage of the area Meanwhile they registered an FIR against the unknown dumper driver whose vehicle crushed my sister The slippery iron sheet is equally responsible for my sisterrsquos death Police should also book the responsible officials who fixed the slippery iron sheet where it doesnrsquot belongrdquo Vikas said The spot where the accident happened was repaired and the iron sheet was removed recentlySubinspector Sugriv Munde of Kurla police station said ldquoWe have registered a case against the unknown dumper driver for negligent driving and crushing the woman under the dumper We have recorded the statement of the brother and witnesses We checked the CCTV cameras of the area but most are not working We are still investigating how the bike slipped If we find anything we will add the respective authorities and people responsible for negligence While giving his statement Vikas said he only knows his bike slipped on the plate but he is still confused how the accident happened The witnesses told us that they saw only the woman under the dumperrdquoVikas Sahu brother of the deceasedOver 60 accidents in a monthA prime witness in the case Baitullah Khan who is a resident of Kapadia Nagar said ldquoWe had written to Kurla police about the deadly iron sheet before it was removed recently We had witnessed many bikers fall down on the sheet In the past one month over 60 people had fallen here and our society members helped them Before this Anjursquos accident a womanrsquos twowheeler had slipped on the sheet and she fell down severely injuring her leg I helped herrdquoldquoI had even instructed all the vendors to keep an eye out and help if someone slips and falls It is the authoritiesrsquo duty to ensure peoplersquos safety However in this case both the local police and the authorities are equally responsible as they fail to take any action against people who fixed the sheet We have written a letter to the Kurla police to take the strictest action against the authorities responsible to give justice to Anju SahurdquoNov 12Day the 18yearold woman died in the accident