Mumbai: A 15-year-old schoolgirl— who is an American citizen of Indian origin — suffered injuries after a speeding motorcyclist crashed into her at Juhu recently.Activists pointed out thatspeed breakersremoved from the stretch during Metro construction work were never restored, making the road unsafe for pedestrians.Juhu Police registered an FIR for rash driving against the biker. On Saturday , the biker was arrested. Police said he is a 20-year-old collegianCCTV footage of the crash went viral on Saturday, sending shockwaves in the neighbourhood.This is the second hit-and-run incident in the western suburbs in two months where a motorcyclist has rammed into a school student. In July, eight-year-old Reva Pawar was grievously injured after a two-wheelerbeing ridden in the wrong direction crashed into her at Jogeshwari.The latest incident was reported on Juhu’s NS Road on Aug 18. The teen studies in class 10 of a renowned school in Juhu. She had finished her tuitions and was on her way home to pick up her tiffin before walking down to school. Around 8.15 am, her friend stood at one end of NS Road as the teen crossed the stretch to go home. Suddenly, a two-wheeler came out of nowhere at immense speed and crashed into her. The teen was thrown onto the road. Her friend rushed to her side and somehow managed to take her home. Meanwhile, the biker got back up on his two-wheeler and fled. “My daughter couldn’t recollect the road crash at all, which left me very worried,” the teen’s mother said. “We rushed her to a private hospital in Vile Parle, where doctors said she had a concussion, besides injuries to her jaw and bruises on her leg. Later, an MRI showed a bulge in her neck. She is recovering but her memories about the incident are still foggy,” her mother said.Local residents had written to the BMC repeatedly to get speed breakers reinstalled on the stretch which is used by hundreds of students from multiple colleges in the vicinity.“We have brought the road crash to the attention of the BMC and highlighted that reinstalling speed breakers on the stretch is essential,” said Dhaval Shah of the Lokhandwala Oshiwara Citizens’ Association.
