Teen, driver die as sedan falls off car lift shaft in Mumbai highrise

TWO persons, one of them a minor, died when a sedan fell off a car lift shaft in a Madanpura highrise in South Mumbai Wednesday evening. The incident took place around 6.30 pm in the Iqbal Heights building behind Maratha Mandir cinema.

According to police, 14-yearold Hafeez Patel and Javed Ahmed (26), who worked as a driver for Patel’s family, were taken to Nair hospital where they were declared dead on arrival. Police said Patel was driving the car.

The 15-storey building has a parking lot on the first three floors with a car lift shaft to take vehicles up.

According to police, CCTV footage of the building shows Patel “practising” and approaching the door of the second floor lift shaft in reverse. “He must have accidentally hit the accelerator and the car fell two storeys below,” said an officer.

Eyewitnesses said locals brought the two out of the vehicle before the fire brigade reached.

Investigations further revealed that the two had been missing since the afternoon until their car was found by the building watchman.

“At 5.30 pm, Patel’s parents informed the police that their son and driver were missing. Information that the car had been found was received while a missing person’s complaint was being registered,” said a police officer. Investigators believe Patel and Ahmed had been missing since 1 pm.

Doctors at Nair hospital said the two died of head injuries. Their autopsy was conducted at 10.30 pm.

One of Ahmed’s uncles said he had been working for the Patels for several years and was the sole breadwinner for his family. He lived in Byculla with his parents and brother.