A 42-year-old businessman from Kalyan in Maharashtra died after a car allegedly driven by an underage driver slammed into his bicycle on an under-construction stretch of road near the Ulhas river.
The accident on Tuesday evening was captured on CCTV camera, and now the boy, possibly along with his family, is facing police action for the incident that has raised major questions about enforcement of traffic laws and the lack of cycling infrastructure in the rapidly growing Kalyan-Dombivli region.
Shrinivas Tandle lived in the Khadakpada neighbourhood of Kalyan in Thane district, about 50 km from Mumbai, and was a well-known figure in the local business community.
He had purchased the bicycle just the day before the accident — on Monday — and Tuesday's ride was probably his first as part of his new exercise routine to lose some weight.
The accident took place on a stretch of the under-construction Kalyan Ring Road, a 30-kilometre project being built by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) to ease traffic congestion across Kalyan, Dombivli, and Titwala.
The driver of the car is a 17-year-old boy, confirmed by police as a juvenile hence not to be named. Deputy commissioner of police (zone 3) Atul Zende said the car has been traced and the driver identified.
There are reports that his mother, the registered owner of the car, may also be made an accused. While it was not known what his mother’s profession is, his father is reported to be a lawyer.
