Pothole lands 13-year-old girl riding pillion in ICU

ULHASNAGAR: A 13-year-old pillion rider sustained serious injuries when her uncle, riding the two-wheeler, swerved to the right to avoid potholes on National Highway 222 only to be knocked down by a speeding container in Ulhasnagar on Monday. "The girl has suffered multiple injuries on her thigh and hip. She has been kept on ventilator in the ICU," said a doctor from Jupiter Hospital in Thane. The family said they have spent over Rs 7 lakh on her treatment so far.

Police said the incident happened around 2.30pm Monday , when Khusboo Dhand, a class VII student, and her uncle Rakesh Sharma were returning home on his scooter from Kalyan, where they had gone to exchange a dress bought for her birthday , which was on September 30 .

In his complaint to police, Rakesh said that near Birla gate in Shahad, he moved to the right to avoid potholes when the speeding container coming from behind knocked them down. Rakesh suffered minor injuries.

Ulhasnagar police have registered a case of rash driving and arrested the container truck driver.

Ram Jaiswar, city engineer of Ulhasnagar Municipal Corporation, said that the highway does not come under the civic body.