Mumbai: Four young women, aspiring for jobs in the police force, were knocked down by a speeding Tata Zest in Vikhroli on Tuesday morning. They had just completed their daily drill and were crossing the road when the accident happened. Cadets in the police academy, the four women were planning to return home to Shirur. The CCTV cameras at the site, which is accident prone, were not working.
The accused driver, Mohammed Khalid Sheikh (20), was not drunk and had a valid license. He was alone inside the car at the time of the accident and was immediately arrested. The accident occurred 300 metres before the Godrej signal on the Eastern Express Highway. The victims were identified as Kajal Karade (19), Deepali Kale (19) and Chaitali Dirge (20).
A police official refuted the claim that the four were running as part of their drill. Almost blaming the cadets, he said: “Most accidents take place at this spot since pedestrians seem to be in a hurry to cross the road and don’t pay attention to the traffic signal.” Karade, Kale and Dirge were injured in the accident while Chitrali Pange (19) has sustained minor injuries.
Kale has suffered a pelvic injury. Karade has injuries on her right upper eyelid, shoulder and her bilateral knee has been injured. Dirge has sustained injuries on her arms. Pange has suffered a minor injury on her left leg and has a swelling on her right shoulder and her right eye has been injured. She was discharged from the hospital on Tuesday evening.
The doctor said they were earlier being treated at Mahatma Phule hospital at Vikhroli after which they were shifted to the Lokmanya Tilak Municipal General hospital, Sion, and the condition of all four candidates are stable now. “The health condition of these candidates are normal and they have minor injuries on head, leg, knee, shoulder and pelvic. As per the doctor’s order, they will be discharged soon from the hospital,” added senior doctor from Sion hospital.