Mumbai shocker! Auto driver sleeping on Versova beach crushed to death as SUV runs over him, friend injured

Months after the Worli hit-and-run case, a similar incident of reckless driving took place in Mumbai, where an auto driver was crushed to death on Versova beach after an SUV ran over him.

Another person was also injured in the incident which took place on August 12.

The deceased and the injured person have been identified as auto driver Ganesh Vikram Yadav and delivery boy Bablu Shrivastava, respectively. According to an Indian Express report, Yadav was sleeping on the Andheri-Versova beach with his friend Bablu Shrivastava to avoid the hot weather.

Police have arrested 34-year-old SUV driver Nikhil Jawale who hails from Nagpur. They also arrested Jawale's 33-year-old friend and passenger Shubham Dongre, a resident of Navi Mumbai's Airoli.

The accused had escaped after running over Yadav as people began to gather, and were nabbed after an extensive search. They were arrested from Igatpuri in neighbouring Nashik district with the help of the vehicle's registration number noted by a local resident.

The accused have been charged with culpable homicide not amounting to murder.

Both the accused were produced in an Andheri court and were sent to five-day police custody.

In a statement to police, Shrivastava said that he was abruptly awakened by a blunt impact on his head and hand around 5.45 am. “I saw a car running over Ganesh, who was sleeping beside me. He sustained serious injuries to his head and face and was lying unconscious,” Shrivastava recounted.

Police said that Jawate had borrowed the vehicle from its owner for a cab business and had come to Mumbai to drop a customer.

“Vehicles are not allowed on the beach. But they somehow managed to enter the beach area. The suspects were aware that people were sleeping on the beach when they drove the vehicle over them," the Indian Express quoted police as saying.

Police have collected blood samples from both the accused and sent them for testing to check if they were under the influence of alcohol.