Dumper mows down newly married couple

Wadala couple Shivaji and Swapnali Sawant were on their way to their cousin's wedding when a garbage dumper hit their two-wheeler around noon yesterday

They were declared dead on admission to Sion Hospital. The driver Mohammad Dulia (26) immediately fled the scene but later surrendered at the Sion police station.

Shivaji and Swapnali were two months shy of their first wedding anniversary

The Sawants were just two months away from celebrating their first wedding anniversary and were looking forward to celebrating it on Valentine’s Day. Nagesh Sawant, Shivaji’s younger brother, said, “I got a call from the police and I immediately reached the spot. When I reached, my brother and sister-in-law were no more and the place was covered with blood.”

The dumper hit the bike so hard it was completely damaged. Pic/Rane Ashish

“They were heading to attend a cousin’s wedding at Chembur. My brother was a safe rider. The dumper hit them with such force that the bike is completely damaged,” added Nagesh. This is not the first time that a dumper has been involved in an accident. This year, cases have been reported where dumpers have rammed into beggars near Govandi and even rag pickers. The civic body is yet to take any measures to put a stop to such accidents.

Senior Inspector, Baburao Gavit, said, “The driver had fled from the scene but later surrendered. The couple was declared dead on admission. The family has filed an FIR.” Additional Municipal Commissioner, BMC, Mohan Adtani, in charge of solid waste management, said, “If this is a BMC dumper, a departmental enquiry will be conducted against the driver and if it was hired on contract basis then the contractor will surely be intimated and the police will file a case.”

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