Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai

Mumbai, Aug 31: An eight-year-old boy was killed after being run over by an SUV while crossing a road in Bandra West on Sunday afternoon, police said.

The motorist, identified as 45-year-old nutritionist Megha Rawal, was arrested and an FIR was registered against her under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for culpable homicide not amounting to murder, besides relevant provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act for dangerous driving.

The incident occurred on St John Baptist Road near Jijamata Garden when Ansh Gupta, a Class 3 student from the nearby Kadeshwari area, was returning home after playing in a garden.

According to police, Gupta was attempting to cross the road when he was hit by the SUV at around 2.15-2.30 pm. Bystanders raised an alarm, following which Rawal stopped the vehicle a short distance ahead.

An auto-rickshaw driver then lifted the injured child into the SUV. Rawal took Gupta to Holy Family Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries at around 3.45 pm.

Police were informed and Rawal was subsequently taken into custody. The boy’s parents were informed about the accident, while his body will be sent for post-mortem examination.

Bandra police will also call experts from the Regional Transport Office (RTO) to examine the SUV and determine the exact cause of the crash.

In a separate incident earlier this year, a four-year-old boy was killed after an SUV rammed into him in the basement of his housing society in Malad East.

The victim, Laksh Singh, was the only child of his parents and was playing with friends in the basement when the accident occurred. Police said the accused driver left the spot without taking the child to a doctor.

It was also learnt that Singh’s family had previously warned the accused against rash driving inside the society compound, but the warning had allegedly gone unheeded.