Crane crash from 11th floor kills 21-year-old student at Mira Road in Mumbai

A 21-year-old computer graphics diploma student was killed on Thursday evening after a construction crane crashed from the 11th floor of an under-construction building at the JP North society in Mira Road, Mumbai. The victim, Mohammad Khokhar, died and two others were injured when the crane lost balance and fell into the residential society premises around 8:30 p.m.

The incident occurred at a construction site near the JK Iris residential complex, where a multi-level parking tower is being built. The tower crane was operational and raising its height when the top section reportedly became heavier, throwing the crane off balance. It plunged from the 11th floor, damaging several parked vehicles and causing panic among local residents.

Emergency services, including the police, the Fire Department, and rescue teams, rushed to the scene. Rahul Patil, senior inspector of Kashi Gaon police station, stated that the crane operator, a young man who also sustained injuries, appeared to have lost balance. Patil noted that the police are registering an FIR on charges of negligence, as safety precautions should have been in place given the height of the operation.

The victim's family is now demanding legal action against the directors of the construction firm. Mohammad Khokhar's father, Abdul Aziz Khokhar, 51, alleged that the police were pushing the family to register a case against the crane operator rather than the firm's directors.

Khokhar was just 11 days away from his 22nd birthday. His cousin, Farhan Shaikh, 21, shared that they had been discussing plans to celebrate the birthday on July 26 just minutes before the crash occurred.

Meanwhile, residents of the area raised serious safety concerns, claiming that construction at the site had been ongoing for over 18 months. Several residents reported that their repeated complaints regarding noise and late-night construction work had gone unaddressed by authorities.

One resident, Mohsin Khan, alleged that work briefly continued even after the fatal accident occurred. According to Khan, workers and officials evacuated the site only after being questioned. Calls made to the construction firm, JP Infra, went unanswered. Police are currently verifying the residents' complaints and investigating whether the operator possessed the necessary training.