A preliminary report on the accident that killed former Tata Sons chairman Cyrus Mistry and his friend Jehangir Pandole on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad highway at Charoti in Palghar district mentions overspeeding and an error of judgement as reasons for the crash.
Konkan Range inspector general of police Sanjay Mohite on Monday submitted the interim report to the state director general of police Rajneesh Seth. Deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis had ordered a high-level inquiry into the accident.
A senior official stated that the condition of the SUV indicates it could have been travelling at 130-140 kmph. The official said the manufacturer, Mercedes Benz, will be consulted to assess exact speed at the time of the accident.
“The impact was so huge that the radiator of the vehicle was not only completely smashed, it was pushed at least two to three feet inside,” the official said.
A senior police officer said the maximum speed limit set on the highway in the Palghar district stretch is 80 kmph (it is otherwise 100 kmph on national highways). He said even if the car was at 90 kmph, it would be a case of over speeding.
