Driver killed, passenger injured after container trailer knocks car down

A trailer container toppled onto a car in Panvel, killing driver Jagdish Hazra and injuring passenger Pallavi Joshi. The trailer driver has been traced and booked.

MUMBAI: A trailer container allegedly toppled on an adjoining car at Panvel, killing the car driver and grievously injuring a passenger, on Sunday morning. The driver escaped but was eventually traced by the police and booked.

Driver killed, passenger injured after container trailer knocks car down

The accident occurred on the road leading to Karnala Ghat at Panvel lane of the Mumbai-Goa highway. The deceased, Jagdish Hazra, 32, was driving the car (MH 02 BE 6840). The vehicle owner is identified as Pallavi Joshi, 56, and she was seated behind the car at the time of the accident. The car was being driven from Poynad and was heading to Mulund.

Preliminary investigation by police revealed that the accused driver of the trailer (MH 43 BS 6310) was allegedly over speeding. He was attempting to take a sharp turn when he lost control, and the container toppled over. “The trailer carried a container full of non-harmful chemicals. The driver tried to apply emergency brakes at a turn and seemed to have lost control. The container unloaded from the vehicle and toppled onto the car alongside,” said an officer investigating the matter.

The car was completely crushed under the container’s weight. The police had to rope in a hydra crane to retrieve the mangled remains of the car. Hazra suffered fatal injuries and died while Joshi sustained serious injuries.

The trailer driver had soon abandoned the trailer to escape, but the police eventually traced him. “The injured were taken to a nearby hospital. The car driver was declared dead on admission, and the other passenger underwent treatment. The trailer driver has been tracked down and panchnama process is underway,” said the official.

A case was registered at the Panvel Taluka police station against the accused driver under sections 106 (death by negligence), 281 (rash and negligent driving), 125 (a) (endanger human life) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, along with relevant sections of Motor Vehicle Act.