- Former Intel India head Avtar Saini was fatally hit by a cab in Navi Mumbai.
- The cab driver admitted to falling asleep at the wheel due to driving all night.
- Charges have been filed, but the driver hasn’t been arrested yet.
The cab driver who hit and killed Avtar Saini, the former head of Intel India, in Navi Mumbai, has told the police that he fell asleep at the wheel because he had been driving all night. The incident happened early in the morning on Wednesday on Palm Beach Road in Nerul.
The cab was speeding when it hit Saini while he was cycling. The impact threw him off his bicycle, and the cab’s front wheels got tangled with the bicycle’s frame. Despite efforts to rush Saini to the hospital, he was pronounced dead upon arrival.
The driver, Rishikesh Khade, who is 23 years old, admitted during questioning that he had dozed off while driving, leading to the accident.
Khade has been charged under several sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including rash driving, causing hurt by negligent driving, and causing death by a negligent act. He also faces charges under the Motor Vehicles Act.
However, Khade has not been arrested yet because the maximum punishment for the charges against him is less than seven years.
Avtar Saini, who lived in Chembur, Mumbai, was known for his work on Intel’s microprocessors, including the 386, 486, and Pentium chips.
Saini’s relatives, who live abroad, are expected to arrive in India soon to claim his body and perform his last rites.