28-YEAR-OLD PILLION RIDER KILLED AS BIKE HITS DIVIDER

MUMBAI: A 28-year-old man, who was riding pillion without a helmet, died on Saturday after his friend crashed the bike into a divider opposite Byculla station. The 29-year-old rider, who was over-speeding, had hit the brakes to avoid running over a pedestrian, because of which, the bike skidded and crashed into the divider.

The Agripada police have arrested the rider for causing death due to negligence. According to the police, the victim, Shams Safaraz Rajani, a Parel resident, was riding pillion while his friend Mohammed Shaikh was riding the bike. Witnesses told the police that around 4.30pm, the bike was travelling on the north-bound road in full speed. “When the bike reached the junction of the station, the rider noticed a pedestrian crossing the road and hit the brakes immediately,” said Nasir Salim Sayyed, 27, a taxi driver who witnessed the accident, and reported it to the police.

However, as the bike had been over-speeding, it skidded for a distance due to the impact of the break, before hitting the divider and falling down, said Sayyed. “As the rider was wearing a helmet, he survived. However, Rajani was not wearing a helmet and suffered injuries to his head, resulting in his death,” said S Agavane, senior inspector. The men were rushed to the hospital, where Rajani was declared dead. “The men, who are residents of Parel, were returning from south Mumbai. It was found Shaikh did not have a valid licence or papers of the bike,” said Agavane.

THE RIDER HAD HIT THE BRAKES TO AVOID HITTING A PEDESTRIAN, OWING TO WHICH BIKE HIT THE DIVIDER