Fall from auto during theft kills 65-year-old in Mumbai

A senior citizen, who slipped into a coma after she fell off a running auto-rickshaw when a biker snatched her chain in Vakola, passed away during treatment. Kanchan Kudalkar (65) was riding in an auto rickshaw on January 16 when the incident took place near Vakola signal in Santa Cruz.

The Vakola police have registered a case and are probing the incident.

An unidentified biker overtook the auto and the pillion rider snatched Kudalkar's mangalsutra so forcefully that the senior citizen fell off the running three-wheeler.

The chain snatchers, as well as the auto driver, immediately fled from the spot as Kudalkar got hurt grievously and became unconscious.

The police was informed and Kudalkar was immediately rushed to a private hospital in Thane, where she succumbed to her injuries on Monday.

"We received a call from a passerby saying an injured woman was lying on the road," said a police officer from Vakola police station. "We did not know whether it was an accident or something else as the auto driver had fled the spot. As the auto driver also disappeared, we suspect that he is involved in the crime. We are scrutinising CCTV footage of the area and will track down the accused soon."

Meanwhile, Kudalkar's daughter-in-law expressed discontent over the slow progress of the case, saying, "It has been over two weeks and the police has failed to trace the accused. She suffered severe trauma and was in a coma after the incident."