Did Holi balloon cost cyclist his life in Mumbai?

A 51-year-old bicycle rider died after a youth rammed his bike into him in Virar West on Thursday evening. The Arnala police have arrested the youth, who told the cops that he lost control of the vehicle after a water balloon was thrown at him.

The mishap took place on Agashi-Chalpeth Road. While the bike rider has been identified as Dhiraj Burud, 20, locals said victim Ramchandra Patel earned his livelihood by polishing wooden furniture in the local area.

"The accident spot is a narrow road where the speed limit is not more than 20 kmph but the bikers were speeding at more than 60 kmph. The 20-year-old youth dashed the cyclist who fell down and got head injuries," said Raju Mane, senior inspector of Arnala police station. Burud has been booked culpable homicide not amounting to murder.

Patel's cycle after the accident

Mane said Burud, a resident of Arnala Killa area, does not have a driving licence.

Zonal Deputy Commissioner of Police Prashant Waghunde said, "We are probing if the motorcyclist was pelted with water-filled balloons."

Lending more credence to the suspicion that Burud was speeding, locals near the accident spot said the front wheel of the cycle got damaged. "The cyclist fell down and got his head injured. He was writhing in pain like a fish without water for a few seconds before he breathed his last," said a local resident, requesting anonymity.

"The youth from Arnala Killa area always take this route and they recklessly drive their motorcycles. When we tell them to drive slowly as it's a narrow road they pick up a fight and gather their relatives and friends to have heated arguments with us," said another resident.

Sources said Burud also suffered multiple bruises in the accident.

A native of Uttar Pradesh, Patel lived in a rented room in Navapur village in Virar West.

"He had been staying in one room for the last 10 years. He would get up early in the morning, leave for work and return home in the evening. He hardly interacted with neighbours. He was a hard-working man," said Jayesh Meher, head of the village where Patel lived on rent.

"He did not have work during the lockdown. So, he could not pay the rent…but his house owner did not demand the rent from him because his behaviour was very good," Meher added.
On Friday morning, Patel's daughter and relatives came to Virar and claimed the body.

Accused Dhiraj Burud doesn't have a driving licence.

Taxi kills 8-yr-old playing Holi in Bandra

A speeding private taxi knocked down an eight-year-old boy playing Holi on the road, killing him on the spot, and later injured three people who were on a morning walk in Bandra East on Friday, the police said. The mishap took place at Ram Mandir locality.

The Nirmal Nagar police said the boy, Gaffar Chowdhary, was playing with a water gun when the cab being driven by Sunil Kumar Rajput fatally knocked him down. The vehicle also rammed into three others who suffered fractures. Locals, who handed over Rajput to the police, alleged that he was drunk at the time and did not have a driving licence. The police have arrested Rajput and seized his car.