‘Urmila Kanetkar was asleep in backseat during crash that killed 1’ | Mumbai News

Marathi actor Urmila Kanetkar’s car hit two pipelayers on WEH at Kandivli after midnight, causing one death and injuring another. Kanetkar, who was asleep, and the driver, Gajanan Pal, also sustained injuries.

MUMBAI: A car ferrying Marathi actor Urmila Kanetkar hit two pipelayers at work on WEH at Kandivli a little after Friday midnight, resulting in the death of one and injuring the other.
Police said Kanetkar, who was asleep in the backseat, sustained injuries as did the driver, Gajanan Pal. An FIR has been filed against Pal (58) for negligence and rash driving. He was detained later.
“Barricades had been placed around the site and the car rammed the barricades. We will probe whether it was speeding. Prima facie, the driver does not appear to be intoxicated,” said a police officer.
Of the two injured labourers, Samratdas Jitendradas (24) was rushed to the Cooper Hospital in Vile Parle where he succumbed to his injuries.
His co-worker, Sujan Ravidas (20) has been admitted to Mauli Hospital in Malad East. Police said the contract labourers lived in Goregaon and were natives of West Bengal.
Kanetkar and the driver were rushed to a private hospital in Kandivli for treatment. Police said the driver suffered minor injuries. He was later detained.
Police said that earlier in the day Kanetkar had dropped off a friend near Jogeshwari and was headed towards Ghodbunder Road in her car to travel to Thane where she resides.
A relative said they were not clear on how exactly the crash occurred.
“From what we have learned, the car was in the right lane of the highway. An excavator truck appeared in the middle of the road.
Another vehicle deflected the car and caused it to hit the excavator on which the labourers were working. The car was badly smashed up. Urmila got flung inside the vehicle and suffered injuries. The driver’s life was saved due to air bags,” said a relative.