An 11-year-old boy was killed when an oil tanker ran over him at Chembur Naka on Tuesday afternoon. Identified as Rohit Narayan Bapardekar, a Class VI student from Chembur High School, the victim was on his way to his residence at Suman Nagar in Chembur when he met with the accident.
Dashrat Shahu, 55,the tanker driver, fled from the spot abandoning the vehicle (MH-36-FQ-363) which was on its way to Mahul village. However, he later surrendered to the Chembur police. Shahu has been booked for culpable homicide, and rash and negligent driving.
"The boy was crossing the road and did not see the tanker approaching him," said senior inspector Balasaheb Pachundkar of Chembur police station.
A mob immediately gathered at the spot, alleging that the accident was caused due to the negligence and inaction of the police. "In the past one year alone about eight accidents have taken place here," claimed Rajesh More, a witness.
"There are two schools and a BMC hospital nearby, and we are constantly worried about the safety of our children and the aged," said Jagan Vaidya, another resident. The Chembur High School management said that even though the spot was not very close to the school, they had requested the police to provide safety measures at the junction.
However, when authorities from the school visited Shatabdi Hospital where Rohits body was taken, an angry mob of relatives and friends did not allow them to meet the parents, alleging that the school too was partly to blame for the incident.
"This is the third such incident when a student has died in an accident near the school. Had the management provided a guard to help students cross the road, it could have been averted," said a relative.
