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News18
9 hours ago
- Automotive
- News18
9 Airbags In Rs 1.5 Crore SUV But One 'Mistake' Leads To Nashik Businessman's Death In Crash
Last Updated: As another speeding vehicle splashed water onto the windshield of the SUV, the driver's visibility was momentarily lost. In those crucial seconds, the vehicle veered out of control The tragic death of prominent Nashik-based industrialist Sunil Hekre sparked fresh questions over both road safety and the structural integrity of Maharashtra's much-hyped Samruddhi Mahamarg. Hekre, who was travelling with his family in a high-end Mercedes GLS 400D SUV, died after the vehicle met with a horrific accident near Igatpuri. Ironically, despite the luxury SUV being equipped with nine airbags, advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), and top-tier safety features, a single moment of lost control led to a fatal crash. According to preliminary investigations, Hekre's son was behind the wheel of the Rs 1.5 crore SUV. The family was returning to Nashik from Mumbai when the incident occurred near Shahpur. Eyewitness reports and police inputs suggest that water had accumulated on the highway due to rain. As another speeding vehicle splashed water onto the windshield of the SUV, the driver's visibility was momentarily lost. In those crucial seconds, the vehicle veered out of control. The SUV, reportedly at a high speed, skidded, flipped over, and breached into the opposite lane before slamming into the side grill. Despite the deployment of all airbags, the impact was catastrophic. Sunil Hekre, who was not wearing a seatbelt at the time, was thrown out of the vehicle. He succumbed to his injuries on the spot. His wife and both children, including the son who was driving, sustained serious injuries and were rushed to a nearby hospital. The son remains in critical condition. The incident has cast a dark shadow over the Nashik industrial community, where Hekre was a well-known and respected figure. His untimely death has triggered an outpouring of grief, even as it reignites debates around road conditions and accident-prone stretches on the Samruddhi Mahamarg. Launched with much fanfare as Maharashtra's flagship expressway project, the Samruddhi Mahamarg has been mired in safety concerns. Multiple fatal accidents have been reported in recent months, raising red flags over design flaws, maintenance lapses, and absence of adequate signage and water drainage systems. Experts have pointed out that while modern vehicles come with state-of-the-art safety tech, the effectiveness of these features diminishes when external conditions, such as poorly maintained roads and reckless driving by other motorists, are not controlled.
The Hindu
04-06-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Key accused in ₹4,215-crore Falcon scam nabbed in Hyderabad; luxury cars seized
The Telangana Crime Investigation Department (CID) has arrested Sandeep Kumar, one of the masterminds behind the Falcon invoice discounting scam, along with his accomplice, Ravi Kumar. The arrest took place in Hyderabad on Tuesday, in a case that spans multiple states and involves thousands of duped investors. Seized during the arrests were three luxury cars — a Mercedes GLS 400D, a Range Rover Velar, and an Innova Crysta — valued at ₹2.5 crore, along with 14 property documents worth ₹10 crore, mobile phones, cash and ID cards. Sandeep Kumar, operations head of Capital Protection Force Pvt. Ltd. and younger brother of company MD Amardeep Kumar, had been absconding after fleeing to Dubai. According to the CID, he illegally re-entered India via the Nepal border and moved across Bihar, Odisha, Goa and finally back to Hyderabad, where he was sheltered by his cousin, Ravi Kumar. Director of CID, Shikha Goel said the scam, operated through the Falcon Invoice Discounting app ( lured depositors with fake short-term investment deals purportedly linked to reputed multinational companies. Over ₹4,215 crore was collected from more than 7,000 individuals. Initial estimates suggest around ₹792 crore was siphoned from over 4,000 victims. The CID has, so far, registered three primary cases under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Telangana Protection of Depositors of Financial Establishments Act. Eight more cases are pending across six States including Karnataka, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh and Delhi. 'Sandeep Kumar diverted ₹845 crore into personal and associated company accounts. The CID is continuing efforts to apprehend remaining suspects, including CEO Yogendra Singh, who is believed to be in the UAE,' said
