His friend, Jehangir Pandole, whose family owned the soft drinks brand Duke’s before they sold it to PepsiCo, also died when their SUV, a Mercedes Benz GLC, hit the railing of a bridge over the Surya river at Charoti in Palghar district around 3.15pm.
Jehangir’s brother, Darius, and his wife Anahita, a well-known gynaecologist and tree activist — who according to local police, was at the wheel — sustained serious injuries, but are said to be out of danger. Darius was sitting next to her, while Cyrus and Jehangir were in the rear seat, raising questions as to whether the air bags had done their job. Police said the two at the back didn’t seem to have had their seat belts on.
They were returning to Mumbai after a visit to the Iranshah fire temple in Udvada, a tiny village in Gujarat, about 180km away. Both Cyrus and the Pandole brothers had lost their fathers recently—on June 28 and August 29, respectively. Sunday was Behram Roj according to the Parsi Zoroastrian calendar, when devout Parsis visit their most revered fire temple in Udvada. TOI has learned that Mistry and his friends left for Mumbai after lunch at a friend’s sea-facing hotel in Udvada.
Anahita and Darius, who both suffered multiple fractures, were moved to a hospital in Vapi. Darius is managing director of JM Financial’s private equity business and was once a junior national squash champion. Jehangir, a graduate of the renowned London Business School, was earlier a director in consulting firm KPMG’s Global Strategy Group in London.
Deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis announced a high-level inquiry into the accident. Palghar superintendent of police Balasaheb Patil and other top police officials reached the spot and confirmed that Mistry and Jahangir died on the spot.
The bodies of Mistry and Jehangir were moved to J J Hospital in Mumbai for autopsy late Sunday evening. Police said prima facie evidence suggests Anahita lost control of the vehicle while taking the old bridge over the Surya river, which is at a lower level than the new bridge. She had just crossed the three-lane Charoti toll naka and covered a kilometre when the accident occurred.
Police officials who visited the spot said that the vehicle could have been speeding and the driver might have been in two minds as to which bridge to take. Kasa police said an accidental death report has been filed. While speeding is believed to have caused the accident, police will record the statements of the injured victims.
Medical superintendent Dr Pradeep Dhodi said two persons were brought in dead. Mistry, who was seated diagonally across from the driver, and Jehangir, died on the spot after their heads hit the front seats. They died of serious head injuries, said Dr Dhodi. The curtain airbags at the sides, which are meant to protect passengers seated at the rear, had opened but it was too late. As Cyrus and Jehangir were not wearing their seat belts, their heads hit the front seats even before the bags opened, said police after inspecting the vehicle.
Anahita and Darius, a former independent director of Tata Global Beverages, both suffered fractures of the hip and jaw. It is learned that a team of doctors from Mumbai are headed to the Vapi hospital to examine the victims. Police said that Anahita and Darius were saved as their airbags opened and they had their seat belts on.
Such was the impact of the accident, that the engine of the diesel car MH-47-AB-6705—registered in the name of Darius’s company J M Financial Ltd—was pushed behind the wheels. The bonnet was intact. Passersby and motorists came to the rescue of the victims. As there is no residence or shop near the accident spot, police do not have any CCTV images of the accident.