A speeding Honda City traveling from Panvel towards Mumbai crashed into two stationary auto-rickshaws parked by the roadside, resulting in the death of a sleeping rickshaw driver. The accident occurred in the early hours of Wednesday morning on the Sion-Panvel Highway near Juinagar railway station. Both rickshaws were completely wrecked, and Nerul Police have arrested the driver of the Honda City, registering a case against him.

The deceased rickshaw driver was identified as Ghanshyam Jaiswal, 50, a resident of Shantinagar, Turbhe Naka. He had been working through the night and, feeling exhausted, parked his rickshaw near a bus stop at Juinagar railway station and fell asleep inside. Around 5 AM, another rickshaw driver, Rajendra Vankalas, arrived at the same location with his son to have tea. Vankalas parked his rickshaw in front of Ghanshyam’s vehicle and stepped out for tea.

At that moment, a speeding Honda City coming from Panvel lost control and rammed into both stationary rickshaws. The impact was so severe that Jaiswal, who was sleeping inside his rickshaw, died on the spot. Vankalas and his son, having stepped out just minutes earlier, narrowly escaped the crash. The accident completely destroyed both rickshaws.

Following the incident, Nerul Police arrested Vishnu Devnath Rathod, 27, a civil engineer and resident of Mankhurd, who was driving the Honda City. He has been booked for rash driving and negligence, and further investigation is underway. “He was going home when the accident happened. Prima facie, he was not under influence of any substance,” a police officer from Nerul police station said.