Thane: The BMW crash near Badlapur that killed two youths and left the driver battling for life has once again drawn attention to the rampant illegal use of the under-construction and barricaded Mumbai-Delhi Expressway, where locals claim that drag racing, stunt riding and late-night drinking parties have become a regular occurrence.Residents of Eranjad village, where the Sunday’s crash took place, said that motorists have been illegally using a nearly 26km section between Bhoj village in Badlapur and Bhiwandi, which is almost ready. According to police records, at least five people have died in accidents on this section over the past six months, including the two BMW crash victims.In the early hours of Sunday, a speeding BMW Z4 convertible crashed into a divider and a roadside pole near Eranjad village. The impact was so severe that the two-seater sports car was ripped apart, with vehicle parts scattered over a large area. Police said Badlapur resident Yogesh Negi, who was celebrating his 26th birthday, died on the spot, while his 24-year-old friend Rebecca Jacob from Bandra was thrown nearly 30m away, and died soon after.Badlapur West police have registered an FIR against the sole survivor, Angad Gill (26), who is believed to have been at the wheel. Gill, the son of a businessman who owns multiple manufacturing and business ventures, remains in a coma at a private hospital in Kalyan after suffering serious head injuries.Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone IV) Sachin Gore said Gill has been booked under sections 105 and 281 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and sections 112, 183, 184 and 194(B) of the Motor Vehicles Act for rash and negligent driving causing death.“We are also still verifying the authenticity of a video allegedly shared on social media by one of the deceased before the crash purportedly showing the BMW reaching a speed of 251kmph. While we cannot officially confirm that figure at this stage, the nature of the accident indicates that the vehicle was travelling at an exceptionally high speed. Vehicle components were thrown several feet away and one of the victims was flung a considerable distance from the car. Prima facie, it appears the vehicle was travelling at no less than 200kmph,” Gore said.Police are probing multiple angles, including speeding, possible stunt driving, and whether the trio had consumed alcohol before the crash; they have already sent Gill’s blood samples for analysis.While Negi’s last rites were performed on Monday, Jacob’s funeral is scheduled on Tuesday at a cemetery in Sewri. They were colleagues at an event management firm.According to investigators, the three friends had celebrated Negi’s birthday before driving onto the under-construction expressway. Police suspect they were undertaking high-speed runs on the largely vacant highway stretch when the accident occurred.Senior police inspector Kishore Shinde of Badlapur West police station said preliminary findings suggest Gill survived because he was seated behind the wheel and was wearing a seat belt, and the vehicle’s airbags deployed upon impact. “The BMW Z4 is a two-seater convertible. Our preliminary investigation indicates that Gill was driving and Negi was occupying the passenger seat. We suspect Jacob may have been standing between the two occupants at the time of the crash,” Shinde said. Police suspect Negi was not wearing a seat belt. Investigators believe that the force of the collision threw Jacob out of the vehicle, while Negi suffered fatal injuries after the BMW struck a roadside pole following the initial impact with the divider.A forensic team and Regional Transport Office (RTO) officials have visited the site and collected evidence. Authorities are examining CCTV footage and forensic reports to scientifically determine the speed of the vehicle at the time of the crash. Blood samples collected from Gill have been sent for analysis to ascertain whether he was driving drunk.“At the same spot, at least three fatal accidents have taken place in the last six months, resulting in multiple deaths. Since entry points to the highway have been opened forcefully by locals, vehicles frequently enter the stretch and are driven at very high speeds,” senior police inspector Shinde said.He added that police would urge highway authorities to explore ways to completely restrict access to the stretch until construction is completed and the road is officially commissioned.Rupesh Bhoir, a resident of Eranjad village, said: “Almost every day there are incidents or near misses. From evening till late night, people come here in cars and on motorcycles to perform stunts. In several places, groups can be seen consuming alcohol.”Another resident, Bhagwan Bhoir, said a serious accident had occurred near the same location only a few days ago. “Authorities have tried to stop vehicles from entering after repeated complaints from villagers, but many motorists simply ignore the restrictions. Strong police action is needed against those using the road illegally,” he added.Staff members associated with the contractor executing work on the Bhiwandi-Badlapur section alleged that despite repeated attempts to barricade access points, motorists continue to find ways onto the expressway. According to them, drums filled with soil and large concrete blocks had been placed at entry points on the instructions of highway authorities, permitting access only to construction-related vehicles. However, some motorists allegedly remove the barricades and drive onto the expressway. “Even security guards face threats when they try to stop motorists from entering the stretch,” a staff member said.
