A 70-year-old woman, Saraswati Mustanya Puchhla, was killed and her 21-year-old kin was seriously injured after a speeding truck struck their scooter in Mumbai's Govandi area. The accident took place near Shivajinagar Junction when both were on their way to a relative’s funeral on Monday afternoon, November 17.
21-year-old Sudhir Gudla, who lives with his family at MHADA colony in Prabhadevi, had travelled to Baiganwadi on Monday to attend the last rites of his uncle Ajay Puchla, who died a day earlier. His aunt, Puchhla, had arrived from Guntakal in Andhra Pradesh to attend the funeral.
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According to Sudhir, he, his brother and their aunt were riding triple seat on a friend's scooter to the Deonar crematorium when the accident took place. At around 12 in the afternoon, while they were near the Shivajinagar Junction bus stop on Ahilyadevi Holkar Marg, a truck allegedly driven rashly hit the rear side of their scooter, causing all three to fall.
The rear left tyre of the truck ran over Sudhir's shoulder and Saraswati's head, causing severe head injuries to her. The driver tried to fled, but was later detained by locals and police. The driver was identified as Mohammad Siraj Shaikh, a resident of Rafiq Nagar in Shivajinagar.
A case of negligent driving, causing death and injury, has been registered, and the truck has been seized. Investigation is ongoing, said police.