Family of 6 faces bleak future as freak accident kills breadwinner

Saiyog Pawar, 38, dies after tree branch fell on his car; kin seek state compensation

THANE: Since 2007, when he started working as a driver, Saiyog Pawar had been looking after a family of seven - his unmarried elder sister, disabled brother, aged parents, and the two children of his late younger sister. He had even decided not to get married because an extra member meant an additional expenditure on a shoestring budget.

Now the family has lost its breadwinner in a freak accident, and they are uncertain about their future.

On Monday, 38-year-old Saiyog was in his car at Mahalaxmi when a tree branch fell on the vehicle, resulting in his death. The driver of the excavator that hit the tree leading to the mishap is still absconding, Tardeo police officials said.

The family resides in a small one-room kitchen house on the top floor of chawl-like Mahadev Smriti building in Thane’s Wagale Estate.

His elder sister, Pallavi, 40, is an asthma patient and could not go out to work due to her health.

“Late on Monday afternoon, we got a call that Saiyog was in an accident. My parents and I rushed to Nair hospital, but no one gave us details about his condition. When my mother insisted that we be taken to the ward where he was admitted, the doctors told us that he had died. We could not believe what we heard,” a tearful Pallavi said, adding, when they watched the video of the incident, they realised that he died due to no fault of his.

She said her brother was careful and never drove fast even if his client demanded. “However, his long-distance trips always worried me but he would say: ‘tai [sister], I know my family needs me and I will drive slowly and safely.’ ” “It will be impossible to afford even two square meals. My brother’s death is a huge blow; we need some compensation from the government,” Pallavi said.