Biker hits pothole, falls, gets crushed by truck

THANE: It took a fatal accident for state authorities to fill up potholes on the Kalyan-Bhiwandi Road.
A 36-year-old assistant manager with a private bank, Vijay Kendre, got crushed under the wheels of a speeding truck when he got thrown off his bike after hitting a pothole on Kalyan-Bhiwandi Road on Wednesday. The very next day, the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), in charge of maintaining roads in Bhiwandi, filled up potholes on the stretch.
The road, which connects Bhiwandi and Eastern Express Highway with Kalyan, is riddled with potholes, complain locals. Dayanand Shetty, who runs a hotel along the road, said, “There have been several accidents, including fatal ones, on this road. Even the street lights are not working.”
This is the second pothole-related death in Thane region in a month. On July 21, a college student, Prajakta Fulore, riding a scooter died after being hit by a dumper truck on the Kalyan-Malang Road.
Kendre’s family has demanded action against the MSRDC officials responsible for maintaining the road and the contractor. “I lost my husband due to the administration’s negligence. I want the government to take action against those responsible for his death,” Kendre’s widow Poonam told TOI on Sunday. She added that had the potholes being fixed earlier, she would not have lost her husband.
On Wednesday, Kendre, the sole bread winner in the family, was returning to his Titwala home when he lost control of his bike near Chokhi Dhani dhaba while trying to avoid potholes. “He skirted two potholes, but hit the third one,” said Amit Pathak, Kendra’s colleague, who was riding pillion. Pathak said they fell on the road and a speeding truck ran over Kendra’s head, crushing his helmet.
Locals nabbed the truck driver, Mohan Abhang (37), and handed him over to the Kongaon police. Abhang was booked for rash and negligent driving.
Kendre’s relatives are worried about his widow and eight-year-old son. Poonam’s brother Am-it Lokhande said, “My sister, who is a homemaker, and her son will have to fend for themselves. They live in a rented flat.” Kendre, who got a promotion last month, was planning to buy a house. He was also recently given the best employee award by the bank.