Cyrus Mistry and co-passenger killed in car crash did not wear seat belts: Police

Former Tata Sons chairman Cyrus Mistry and a co-passenger killed in a car crash were not wearing seat belts, as per a preliminary probe, and over-speeding and the "error of judgement" by the driver caused the accident, a police official said.

Prima facie, the luxury car was speeding when the accident took place on Sunday afternoon, he said.

The Mercedes car covered a distance of 20 km in just nine minutes after crossing the Charoti check post in Maharashtra's Palghar district, 120 km away from Mumbai, the official said on Sunday night.

The car hit a road divider on a bridge over the Surya river, killing Mistry (54) and Jahangir Pandole on the spot.

Mistry was returning to Mumbai from Ahmedabad when the tragedy struck at 2.30 PM.

The car was driven by Mumbai-based gynaecologist Anahita Pandole (55).

She and her Darius Pandole (60) were seriously injured in the accident.

"As per preliminary investigation, over-speeding and the error of judgement caused the car accident. Both the deceased were not wearing seat belts," the official said.

"While analysing the footage captured by CCTV cameras at the Charoti check post, Palghar police found the car had crossed the check post at 2.21 pm and the accident took place 20 km ahead (in the direction of Mumbai)," he said.

This shows the car covered a distance of 20 km (from the check post) in just nine minutes, the official said, adding that the accident took place at 2.30 pm on the Surya river bridge.

Mistry and Jahangir Pandole were in the back seats. Darius Pandole was in the front seat and his wife Anahita Pandole was at the wheel, police said.

An eye-witness had said a woman was driving the car and tried to overtake another vehicle from the left side, but lost control and crashed into the road divider.

The bodies of Mistry and Jahangir Pandole were sent to the state-run J J Hospital in Mumbai for postmortem, the official said.

Jahangir Pandole was the brother of Darius Pandole, a former independent director of the Tata Group of companies.

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who holds the home portfolio, has asked police to conduct a detailed investigation into the accident.

Meanwhile, mortal remains of industrialist Cyrus P. Mistry - who was killed in a road accident this afternoon - will be taken to Mumbai for an autopsy even as the Pundole couple remain critical but stable in a hospital in Gujarat's Vapi, official sources said here late on Sunday.

According to the hospital medicos, Dr Anahita Pundole is suffering from pneumothorax and hip fracture, but her blood pressure is maintained and she is under observation.

Her husband Darius Pundole has suffered bilateral jaw fractures with a displaced jaw causing airways obstruction.

A surgeon has pulled out the jaw with with wire fixation and cleared the airway clear and he is also stable.

After keeping them there overnight, a decision will be taken on Monday for further course of treatment in Gujarat or Mumbai.

The mortal remains of Cyrus Mistry and Jehangir Pundole, will be directly taken to Sir J.J. Hospital in Mumbai for a post-mortem examination.