A 22-year-old man died on Sunday at around 9:45 p.m., bringing the district's total number of fatalities due to potholes to seven.
On Sunday night, a two-wheeler rider, Ganesh Pale, 22, died after being crushed by a tanker while he was trying to dodge a pothole in Agasan village of Diva. A case has been registered against the tanker driver at Mumbra police station in this regard.
Residents react
Rupesh Singh, a resident of Diva, said, "There is an angry reaction among the people in Diva after the accident of Ganesh Pale on Sunday due to potholes. The administration of Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) appears unconcerned about the deaths caused by potholes. Six people have died due to potholes in Thane district in the last two months. The reason there is a question mark being raised on the governance of the administration."
Ganesh Pale lived in Omkar Nagar area of Agasan. The Agasan-Diva road here is riddled with potholes.
Avinash Sawant, Regional Disaster Management Cell (RDMC) chief, Thane, said, " On Sunday, around 8 pm, Ganesh was going to Diva on a two-wheeler from the Agasan-Diva route. While dodging a pothole on the road, Ganesh lost control of the bike and fell off, and he was crushed under the wheel of an oncoming water tanker. The passerby admitted him to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Hospital in Kalwa, where doctors declared him dead before treatment."
The incident came to light after CCTV footage of the accident was circulated on social media.
Jitendra Singh, a driver from Diva, said, "The Asan-Diwa road is narrow. Also, there are no street lights on this route and many potholes, making the road difficult for the drivers as well as bikers."
Ashok Kadlag, a senior police inspector of Mumbra police station said, "Even though there was an accidental death while dodging the pothole, a case has been registered at Mumbra police station as an accident due to the speeding of the tanker."
Kadlag further added, "Soon after the accident, the tanker driver ran away from the spot and we are searching for him."
The TMC officials were not available for comment.
