Mumbai: A man died after he was knocked down by a speeding dumper in Mulund (W) on Saturday, police said. The incident occurred at 1 pm in a busy lane at Mulund Colony when Suresh Rajput (37) was crossing the road. Police arrested the dumper driver, Brijesh Yadav (26), who fled after abandoning the vehicle, fearing mob fury.“Yadav was arrested later after he fled away from the spot. He has been booked under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections for causing death due to negligence, rash driving, and under the Motor Vehicles Act. He was not drunk at the time of incident and was later released on bail as it is a bailable offence,” said a police officer of the Mulund police station.Rajput died about three hours after he met his elder brother Vijay (50), before leaving in search of work. Vijay, employed as a bodyguard, told TOI, “The incident has shaken our bedridden mother (68). My brother does whatever job he gets. I was at my workplace when I received a call from my friend alerting that my brother has met with an accident. I rushed to the hospital only to learn that he died before admission at the hospital.”BJP MLA Mihir Kotecha demanded the suspension of BMC deputy chief engineer Navnath Gadge, holding him responsible for the incident. Kotecha claimed Rajput was killed on the spot and said it was the third such incident in the past few months. He said he raised the issue in the Legislative Assembly and the govt issued directions, but they were not followed.“Ghadge is responsible for the incident, for repeated accidents involving dumpers in the area. Earlier incidents include a dumper overturning in the first week of Dec and the death of a girl in Amar Nagar, Mulund, four months ago after being hit by a dumper,” said Kotecha.Kotecha further said he earlier raised the issue, warning against the movement of overloaded dumpers through densely populated residential areas of Mulund. “There is an alternative route available, but instead of developing it, 300 to 400 dumpers pass through Mulund Colony every day, posing a serious risk to residents. The govt had directed that dumper movement should not be allowed through this stretch and that work should begin only after an alternative road was developed,” he said.
