Avtar Saini was hit by a speeding cab while riding a bicycle in Navi Mumbai. (file)
Thane:
The driver of the cab that ran over former Intel India country head Avtar Saini in Maharashtra’s Navi Mumbai has told police that he dozed off after driving all night and lost control of the vehicle, an official said on Friday.
Police have registered a case against driver Hrishikesh Khade (23) after the incident which took place around 5.50 am on Wednesday on Palm Beach Road in Nerul area of Navi Mumbai.
When Saini was riding a bicycle, he was hit by a speeding cab. The cab hit Saini’s bicycle from behind and Khade tried to flee the spot by trapping the bicycle frame under the front wheels of the cab. Police said Saini’s colleagues took him to the hospital where he was declared brought dead.
An officer from the NRI police station said, “During interrogation, Khade told the police that he dozed off while driving all night, due to which he lost control of the cab, which hit Saini’s bicycle.”
Khade was booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including 279 (rash driving), 337 (causing hurt by rash or negligent act so as to endanger human life) and 304- A (involving someone’s death by doing so). Any rash or negligent act does not amount to culpable homicide) and the provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act.
“But the accused has not been arrested yet as the maximum imprisonment under the sections applicable against him is less than seven years,” the police officer said.
Saini, a resident of Chembur, a suburb of Mumbai, was credited with work on the Intel 386 and 486 microprocessors. He also led the design of the company’s Pentium processor.
Police said they are waiting for Saini’s relatives to claim his body as they live abroad and are coming to India for his last rites.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
