Mumbai: The Govandi police on Wednesday arrested a 43-year-old man for allegedly running over Chembur resident Usha Prabhakaran on Saturday morning.
Ms. Prabhakaran (67), a yoga instructor, was run over near RBI Colony in Govandi early on Saturday while on her way to the yoga institute where she teaches. The impact of the collision was so intense that the car’s number plate fell off at the scene of the accident.
“We traced the driver of the vehicle to Byculla and picked him up for inquiries late on Tuesday. After being questioned, he was placed under arrest in the early hours of Wednesday,” said senior police inspector Shashikant Mane of the Govandi police station.
According to the police, the accused, Vijay Singh (43), is a driver by profession. The owner of the car had rented it to Mr. Singh, who would ferry long-distance fares in it.
Brief hiccup
The police said that the investigation was initially slowed down by the fact that the previous owner of the car had sold it around six months ago, but that details of the new owner had not been updated with the Regional Transport Office. The previous owner had also changed residences, and tracking him down took nearly a day, said officers.
“Following the hit-and-run, Mr. Singh took the car to a friend’s garage in Byculla to get it repaired. We have seized the car, and it will be examined by experts from the RTO. Their report will be part of our evidence when we file a charge sheet in the case,” said a police officer.
The police are now interrogating Mr. Singh to find out the exact sequence of events on Saturday, before and after the accident. He has said in preliminary questioning that he was on his way back home after dropping off a passenger he had taken out of station a couple of days ago.
“We are finding out if Mr. Singh had informed anyone about the accident, and sought their help in trying to hush the matter up. Anyone who is found to have had knowledge of the crime and not informed the authorities, or to have helped the driver, will also face action,” the officer said.
Condition critical
Meanwhile, Ms. Prabhakaran, who is in the Intensive Care Unit of Lilavati Hospital in Bandra, continues to be unconscious and in a critical condition.
“Doctors have informed us that she has sustained significant injuries to her brain, with smalls bleeds all over. They have said that unless she regains consciousness and can be taken off ventilator support, she remains critical,” her son Samith said.