Mumbai: BMC worker’s CCTV camera captures fatal crash in Ghatkopar

The CCTV camera that captured the final moments of Vikram Shantaram Bhalekarrsquos life was one he had installed himself just days earlier The 36yearold BMC contractual worker was taking a break during his night shift in Ghatkopar East when a speeding fourwheeler ran him over dragged him for 10ndash15 feet and fledBhalekar who maintained batteries and other equipment on BMC cleanup vehicles was killed on October 10 on the Eastern Express Highway service road near Adani Tower and opposite Suvidha Despite the footage capturing the fatal crash police have yet to identify the vehicle or its driverCCTV grabs show Vikram Bhalekar sitting on a platform far away from main carriageway moments before a speeding car runs him overThe postmortem examination revealed that Bhalekarrsquos skull had been completely crushed The left side of his body had suffered extensive injuries with tyre marks visible on his bodylsquoWorked multiple jobsrsquoBhalekarrsquos brothers Jitendra and Yogesh described him as a humble and helpful man who worked multiple jobs to support his wife and sixyearold daughter ldquoApart from his work with BMC cleanup vehicles he had worked as an electrician a WiFi operator and a Ganpati idol decorator He often worked morning evening and night shifts leaving himself little time to restrdquo said Yogesh his eldest brother ldquoHe worked hard because he had a family to look afterrdquo said Jitendra his elder brother Vikram was the youngest of three brothers According to the family Bhalekar was sitting on a divider during a break when the speeding vehicle struck him The fact that he was sitting away from the main carriageway and was still fatally hit has added to the familyrsquos anguish ldquoEither the driver was drunk or must have dozed off Otherwise how could someone crash into the divider itself This road has witnessed several accidents yet there are no reflectors or safety measures This negligence has killed my brotherrdquo Jitendra said The family learnt about accident from a worker who found Bhalekar lying in a pool of blood at the sceneA speeding car jumps the pavement and runs over Bhalekar who was taking a break during his night shift in Ghatkopar East PicsCCTV grabFamily seeks justice and compensationFor Bhalekarrsquos family the investigation is about more than identifying a vehicle His brothers want accountability for the death of a man who worked multiple jobs to secure his young daughterrsquos future ldquoThe sixyearold girl and her mother are now left without their sole support We want justice for Vikram and compensation for his familyrdquo Jitendra said A day before his death Bhalekar had helped decorate his local Devi pandal and prepare for the idolrsquos sthapna his brothers said He enjoyed decorating Ganpati and Devi idols carefully embellishing them with decorative stones and rhinestonesVikram Bhalekarrsquos brothers at Pant Nagar police station PicBy Special ArrangementFour special teams to investigatePolice sources said no functioning CCTV camera had captured the suspect vehiclersquos number plate and there were no eyewitnesses to identify the vehicle or its driver The camera installed by Bhalekar himself however captured the fatal incidentPant Nagar police have registered an FIR against an unidentified accused under Sections 1061 and 281 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023 and Sections 134A 134B and 184 of the Motor Vehicles Act 1988 Police have formed special teams to investigate the case and trace the vehicle and its driver Senior Inspector Lata Sutar of Pant Nagar police station told midday that four special teams had been formed to investigate the incident on priority ldquoOur teams have been examining all possible angles day and night through the available CCTV footage The footage is so unclear that we have not even been able to identify the make of the vehicle However we are actively investigating the case and will soon identify the vehicle and the suspectrdquo she said