Auto driver crushed to death as learner crashes Innova into auto

NAVI MUMBAI: A 43-year-old man’s attempt to learn to drive on a busy road in Navi Mumbai led to the death of a 63-year-old auto driver on Saturday afternoon, after the Innova he was driving crashed onto an auto rickshaw, dragging the three-wheeler a few feet away. CCTV cameras captured how the driver could not bring the car to a halt on time, leading to three more vehicles parked ahead of the auto getting wrecked.

The deceased auto driver was identified as Munnalal Lalprasad Gupta, a resident of Kalyan. The incident occurred at the busy junction opposite Sainath School in sector 9 of Vashi. The police said Koparkhairane resident Subhash Pannalal Shukla (43) was at the wheel of the Innova and seated beside him was his relative Prasad Tiwari (42).

“Tiwari was employed as the driver for the four-wheeler and had been to Vashi on some errands. He happened to meet Shukla and offered to drop him at his home in Koparkhairane. At Vashi, Shukla expressed his desire to drive the vehicle and seats were switched,” said the investigating officer, Nivas Shinde.

Just a few minutes after the switch, Shukla lost control of the vehicle and crashed it into an auto plying ahead. According to police, the accused had errantly stepped onto the accelerator instead of pressing the brakes. “He possessed a license but didn’t have the experience to drive on a busy road. While attempting to start the vehicle, he stepped on the accelerator which led to the accident,” adds the officer.

Following the incident, the accused Shukla absconded whereas the second accused Tiwari was caught by the crowd that had gathered. “I happened to hear a loud sound and when I came down to inspect, I saw mangled remains of the auto and a few other vehicles. The driver was nowhere to be found but the person accompanying couldn’t escape as there was a huge crowd already present,” said an eyewitness Pritam Baburao.

Both Shukla and Tiwari were arrested and booked under sections 106 (causing death by rash and negligent act), 281 (rash driving), 324(4) (intent to cause damage), 3(5) (joint criminal liability) of the Bhartiya Nyay Sanhita and under section 184 (dangerous driving) and 134 B (duty of a driver) of the Motor Vehicles Act.