The driver, 20-year-old Gunjan Devani, was arrested after he surrendered to the Kandivali police and charged under Section 304 (A) of the Indian Penal Code for causing death due to a rash and negligent act, as well as for destruction of property and for not rendering timely medical help.

According to the Kandivali police, Neela Sudhir Joshi (40), a resident of the Veena Sarang building at Mahavir Nagar, was on her way to drop her two children Aditya (12) and Jhalak (15) at the Swami Vivekanand High School at Kandivali around 6.45 am when the Innova hit the trio. The impact caused Neela to be hurled in the air while Aditya was thrown aside and suffered a head injury. Jhalak suffered minor injuries.

The car went on to crash into the bus-stop, injuring another 15-year-old student Siddharth Gupta, also a resident of Veena Sarang. Neela and the children were rushed to the nearby Amar Clinic, where Neela was declared dead before admission.

Senior Police Inspector Surendra Jaiswal of the Kandivali police station said: “Devani, a student of hotel management and a resident of Dahanukarwadi in Kandivali, told us he had been at a jaagran the night before and was headed to Kandivali for a religious function. After the incident, he surrendered at the police station. He has also given a statement to the police that the accident was caused because he saw a school kid trying to cross the road and, while trying to avoid hitting the child, he swerved. This caused him to lose control and ram the victims.”

Siddharth, the Std XI student who sustained a fracture in his right leg, said: “I was waiting for my bus at the stop as I had to go to Thakur College. I was to write the exam for an SY BCom student who is physically handicapped. This car came suddenly and rammed Neela aunty, throwing her high up in the air. I saw it happen with my own eyes before the car came and crashed into me. Then I lost consciousness.”

Siddharth’s father Ashok Gupta, an accountant with a private firm, insisted there was no child trying to cross the road.

“The accident was purely the driver’s fault and he should be severely punished for it. The doctors told me that Siddharth’s leg has been severely fractured and it will have to be operated upon. And then a steel rod will be implanted. My wife is also beside herself with worry.”

At Veena Sarang, some relatives of the Joshis gathered in the compound to prevent media-persons from attempting to talk to the grieving family.