Two teens die after car hits divider during joyride on WEH

MUMBAI: A late-night joyride on the Western Express Highway (WEH) ended in tragedy for a group of friends as two 18-year-olds died after their car slammed against a divider in Vile Parle on Saturday. The incident claimed the lives of Jalaj Dheer and Saarthak Kaushik, who were passengers in the back seat.
According to the Vile Parle police, the group of four friends, all first-year Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) students, had embarked on a late-night drive to Bandra for takeaway food. While returning to Goregaon at around 4:30 am, the driver, Sahil Mendha, reportedly confused between taking the service road and the flyover, attempted a sharp turn at high speed (120–150 km/h) and crashed into a divider.
Jedan Jimmy, another 18-year-old in the car and an eyewitness, told the police that they had spent the evening together playing video games and socialising before deciding on the late-night outing. Mendha, who was arrested on Sunday, claimed he had not consumed alcohol, though blood tests have been conducted to confirm his statement.
“Initial investigation reveals that Mendha had a valid driving licence but lost control due to speeding and indecision,” said a Vile Parle police officer.
The police have booked Mendha under sections of the Indian Penal Code for causing death by negligence, rash driving, and endangering personal safety, as well as relevant sections of the Motor Vehicles Act.
Powai crash claims young rider’s life
In a separate incident near Powai Lake on Friday night, a 24-year-old man lost his life while rushing to see his ailing mother at Rajawadi Hospital. The victim, Krishna Nagraj Patil, was speeding on his motorcycle with two friends, Nilesh Nishad and Mohammed Sahil Khan, riding pillion when the crash occurred.
According to the Powai police, the trio had been drinking near Powai Lake when Patil received a call about his mother’s sudden illness. Ignoring his friends’ pleas to take an autorickshaw due to his inebriated state, Patil insisted on riding his bike.
At around 1:30 am, Patil lost control of the motorcycle while riding at approximately 120 km/h on the Jogeshwari-Vikhroli Link Road and crashed into a divider. The impact threw all three riders onto the road, causing severe injuries.
Passersby rushed the men to a nearby hospital, where Patil was declared dead on arrival. Khan and Nishad are currently being treated for serious injuries.
Investigations into both accidents are ongoing, and the police are awaiting medical reports to determine if alcohol consumption was a contributing factor in either case.