Mumbai: BMW crashes into workers setting up Ganeshotsav banner; one dead, another critical

In the early hours of Saturday morning, a tragic accident in Mulund (East) resulted in the death of a 33-year-old man and left another fighting for his life. The incident occurred around 4 a.m. when a BMW collided with a scaffolding, causing the structure to collapse and sending two volunteers plummeting 22 feet.

The victims, Pritam Thorat, an auto driver, and Prasad Patil, 38, a banner maker, were working on the scaffolding to set up a banner for the Ganeshotsav celebrations organised by the Mulundcha Raja Mandal in Gavanpada. The force of the BMW impact caused them to fall to the ground.

According to Chandrakant More, president of the mandal, Thorat fell face-first. Despite attempts to help, Thorat was pronounced dead on arrival at Veer Savarkar Hospital, Mulund. Patil was rushed to Jupiter Hospital in Thane, where he remains in critical condition and is on a ventilator.


The driver of the BMW, identified as 32-year-old Shakti Alag, initially fled the scene. He was later apprehended at a friend's residence in Kharghar, Navi Mumbai, several hours after the accident. Alag claimed he did not see the scaffolding due to heavy rain and left the scene out of fear of public anger. An officer from Navghar police station stated that while Alag did not appear to be intoxicated, his blood sample will be tested for confirmation.

Senior Inspector Madan Patil revealed that Alag had purchased the second-hand BMW a year ago. Alag is currently in police custody and will remain there until September 10, according to DCP Purushottam Karad.

Inputs from TOI