Car crashes into vehicles at Mumbai traffic signal, killing woman

A car crashed into vehicles at a Mumbai traffic signal on Sunday evening.

MUMBAI: Shocking CCTV footage has captured the moment a car allegedly ploughed into a motorcycle and three autorickshaws waiting at a traffic signal in Mumbai's Malad West, killing a 34-year-old woman and injuring six others. The accident took place at around 8pm on Sunday at the Mamlatdarwadi-SV Road junction.

The footage purportedly shows the car crashing into vehicles waiting at the signal, triggering chaos at the busy intersection. Priyanka Satra, a law graduate and mother of two, was seated on the pillion of a motorcycle being ridden by her husband, Mayank, when the car allegedly rammed into them. The impact threw the couple off the bike. Priyanka was rushed to hospital, where she was declared dead. Her husband suffered fractures and back injuries and was hospitalised. The car also hit three autorickshaws, injuring their drivers and passengers, police said.

The 70-year-old driver, Krishna Chamankar, was arrested after the accident. Police said he claimed that he accidentally pressed the accelerator instead of the brake while driving from the Malad subway towards SV Road. A medical examination reportedly found no alcohol in his blood. He was initially produced before a magistrate and later released on bail on a cash bond of Rs 15,000.

The accident has sparked outrage, with the victim's family demanding stricter action against the driver. Relatives have also alleged that Chamankar received preferential treatment while in police custody, an allegation that police officials said was being examined, including through CCTV footage from the police station.