Raymond Manager Injured in Road-Rage Attack on Eastern Express Highway

A 50-year-old manager with Raymond Ltd suffered a serious head injury after a pickup driver allegedly attacked him with a wooden stick during a road-rage altercation on the Eastern Express Highway in Ghatkopar East on Thursday morning.

The victim, identified as Sachin Dhumal, a resident of Agar Bazar in Prabhadevi, was driving to his workplace in Thane in his Volkswagen Taigun when the incident took place around 9:30 am near the bridge at Ramabai Ambedkar Nagar.

According to the First Information Report (FIR), the accused, identified as 35-year-old Rakeshkumar Shrivastav of the Wadala RTO area, was driving a pickup truck behind Dhumal's car and repeatedly honked. Heavy traffic conditions prevented Dhumal from moving aside to let the vehicle pass.

Police said Shrivastav continued tailgating the car while honking continuously. When the road cleared slightly near the Highway Facilitation Centre, the pickup driver allegedly accelerated and overtook Dhumal from the left side at high speed. During the maneuver, the pickup brushed against Dhumal's vehicle, damaging the car's left-side mirror.

Shrivastav then pulled up and stopped his pickup directly in front of the car, blocking its path. A confrontation broke out between the two drivers on the highway. During the heated argument, Shrivastav allegedly pulled out a wooden stick and struck Dhumal on the head, causing him to collapse on the road.

Dhumal managed to alert the police control room for help. Personnel from the Pant Nagar police station arrived at the scene shortly after the call and detained Shrivastav. Dhumal was rushed to Rajawadi Hospital for medical treatment for his head injuries.

Following Dhumal's treatment, police recorded his formal statement and registered a case against Shrivastav under the relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Motor Vehicles Act. Further investigation into the incident is currently underway.