Staff Reporter
Mapusa
Tensions ran high in Siolim after a mother and her minor son sustained injuries in an accident involving a rent-a-cab and a scooter on the Ganeshpuri-Marna road on Wednesday afternoon.
The accident also resulted in damage to a tempo truck after the rent-a-cab rammed into it while trying to flee the scene.
According to police, the accident occurred when the rent-a-cab, driven by Honey Chawla (20), a student from Nagpur, was proceeding from Mapusa towards Siolim at high speed.
While overtaking a truck, the car entered the wrong lane and collided head-on with a scooter ridden by Breta Pereira (45), who was travelling with her minor son.
Both victims sustained injuries to the hand, leg, back, and other parts of the body and were rushed to Siolim Health Centre by locals.
After the collision, the tourist driver failed to stop and instead rammed into a tempo truck ahead. Upon witnessing the incident, angry locals intercepted the tourist and allegedly assaulted him before the police arrived and rescued him.
Following public demand, an alcohol test was conducted on the tourist and his co-passenger, confirming that neither had consumed alcohol. However, family members and residents later gathered at the Anjuna police station, demanding strict action against the accused driver.
The police booked Chawla under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Motor Vehicles Act. Further investigation is under way.
