Mangled remains of the car at site of the mishap on Ghodbunder Road.

THANE: A 35-year-old civil works contractor was killed on Ghodbunder Road after a container truck toppled over his car late on Tuesday night.

The mishap occurred at 11.30pm near Gaimukh bus stop on the busy Thane-bound carriageway of the road.

Police said the deceased, Mira Road-based Mukesh Adia, and companion Lalji Kalsariya (43) were travelling towards Gujarat from Thane when they reportedly decided to take the wrong lane to avert traffic snarls. This decision proved fatal for Adia, who was driving the car.

Naseer Kulkarni, inspector, Kasarwadavli police station, said, “Since there was heavy traffic on the Gujarat-bound stretch, the duo thought of driving on the wrong side of the road. They were barely beginning to ascend the Ghats when they collided against a speeding Daman and Diu-registered container loaded with goods. The container driver, who was headed towards Thane, saw the car approaching from the opposite direction and tried to swerve his vehicle to avoid a collision. In the process, though, the container driver must have lost his balance and hit the left side of the four-wheeler. Since it was raining, it is likely that the container might have skidded on the road.”

While Adia died on the spot, Kalsariya, who sustained serious injuries, was taken to a private hospital in Kasarwadavli. It was a narrow escape for Kalsariya; he was stuck in the car for around 15 minutes, though he kept crying out for help.

Santosh Kadam, chief, regional disaster management cell (RDMC), said, “We had to cut through the dashboard of the car to rescue him. We managed to do it with the help of a quick response vehicle and hydraulic rescue tools. Kalsariya has sustained grievous injuries to his legs, head and hands and was rushed to a hospital.” Cops told TOI that while the unidentified container driver is absconding, the vehicle has been seized.

