Speeding Dumper Kills 58-Year-Old Pedestrian in Mazgaon, Driver Arrested

A 58-year-old pedestrian was killed after being hit by a speeding dumper on Barrister Nath Pai Road in Mazgaon on the night of August 22. The Byculla police have arrested the dumper driver in connection with the fatal accident.

According to the First Information Report (FIR), the incident took place at around 9:52 pm near the New Naralwadi Bridge. The victim, identified as Laxmibai Narsana Kopul, a resident of Pratiksha Nagar in Sion Koliwada, was walking along the road when the dumper (registration number MH 01 EE 1643) allegedly travelling at high speed struck her.

Instead of stopping to help the victim, the driver fled the spot. Alert local residents chased the heavy vehicle and managed to intercept it roughly half a kilometre away, heading in the direction of Reay Road railway station. The locals immediately informed the police about the incident.

Following the alert, Assistant Police Sub-Inspector Anil Gorakshnath Sangle, 52, attached to the Byculla police station, arrived at the scene with his team. Police officers found Kopul lying unconscious in a pool of blood with severe injuries. The vehicle's wheels had reportedly run over her right leg and head.

Police transferred Kopul to Sir J.J. Hospital using a Byculla Mobile 01 police vehicle. However, medical staff at the hospital declared her dead before admission.

Eyewitnesses at the scene corroborated that the dumper had hit the woman while she was on foot, after which locals cornered the vehicle and detained the driver. Police subsequently took the driver, identified as 47-year-old Kumar Horilal Gupta, into custody. Gupta is a resident of Kadri Mansion on Veer Savarkar Road in Prabhadevi.

Based on a complaint lodged by ASI Sangle, the Byculla police registered a case against Gupta under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Motor Vehicles Act. Investigators alleged that Gupta drove the vehicle recklessly and negligently, causing the fatal crash, and failed to provide medical help. Further investigation is in progress.