Mumbai: Ghatkopar Illegal Hoarding Owner Bhavesh Bhinde Arrested
Bollywood actor Kartik Aaryan's uncle and aunt died in the Ghatkopar hoarding collapse. The Mumbai Crime Branch arrested Bhavesh Bhinde, the hoarding owner, on May 16, 2024.
Mumbai faced a devastating sandstorm and thunderstorm a few days ago, causing a tragic incident at a petrol pump in Ghatkopar. A huge hoarding, measuring 120 ft. by 120 ft., collapsed during the storm, leading to the deaths of many people, including Manoj Chansoria and his wife Anita Chansoria, relatives of famous Bollywood actor Kartik Aaryan.
Manoj, 60, a retired Air Traffic Control (ATC) officer, and his wife Anita, 59, lived in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh. They were in Mumbai to complete visa formalities for a visit to their son Yash in the United States. When the storm hit, Yash lost contact with his parents and repeatedly tried to reach them. Fearing the worst, he contacted Manoj’s colleague for help.
Tragically, Manoj and Anita were at the petrol pump in their car when the illegal hoarding collapsed on it. Their bodies were discovered three days later, trapped in their vehicle. The exact time and cause of their deaths remain unknown. Kartik Aaryan attended the funeral and mourned the loss of his uncle and aunt.
The hoarding was erected by an advertising agency called Ego Media Pvt. Ltd. The company owner, Bhavesh Bhinde, had been on the run since the accident. Reports suggest that Bhinde left his home with his driver immediately after the news of the hoarding collapse broke and had been evading capture by changing locations and using false identities.
The Mumbai Police formed eight teams to search for Bhinde across various states. They tracked him through Lonavala, Thane, and Ahmedabad, finally locating him in a hotel in Udaipur under a fake name and using a fake credit card. Bhinde was arrested in Udaipur on 16th May 2024. The operation was so secretive that even the local police were not informed.
After his arrest, Bhinde was taken to Ahmedabad and then flown to Mumbai, arriving at 5 am on 17th May 2024. He was immediately taken to the Crime Branch’s office and later presented in court. Bhinde admitted to knowing the hoarding’s foundation was weak, erecting it without BMC’s clearance, and failing to take measures to secure it against strong weather conditions. The court ordered his police custody until 26th May 2024.
By 17th May 2024, the search and rescue mission at the accident site was completed by various authorities, including BMC, Mumbai Police, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Mumbai Fire Brigade, and Mahanagar Gas. The civic chief officer called off the rescue operation at 10:30 am, but debris clearing continued until late evening.
Post the rescue operation, BMC and Mumbai Fire Brigade officials requested BPCL to clear all petrol, diesel, and CNG from the site to avoid fire hazards, warning that they wouldn’t be responsible for any fire disasters.
A total of 73 damaged vehicles, including 30 two-wheelers, 31 four-wheelers, eight auto rickshaws, and two heavy vehicles, were retrieved from the wreckage and handed over to their owners. The tragic incident resulted in 17 deaths and 75 injuries, taking over 66 hours for authorities to complete the search and rescue mission.
This tragic incident highlights the need for strict enforcement of safety regulations and accountability to prevent such accidents in the future.
