The collapse of an illegal hoarding in Ghatkopar claimed the lives of fourteen individuals from diverse walks of life, each leaving behind a poignant tale of loss and shattered dreams. Among them were a dedicated petrol pump staffer, a diligent engineer, and a hardworking auto-rickshaw driver, whose lives were tragically cut short in a matter of moments. Dilip Paswan Dilip Paswan, an engineer residing in Andheri, was the cornerstone of his family's livelihood, supporting his wife and three young children, including a four-month-old son. According to his brother-in-law Rahul, “Paswan works for a company that manufactures optical fiber. On Monday, he went to visit a site near BARC in Trombay. While on his way to another site, he and his two co-workers stopped at a petrol pump to refuel, and that's when the incident occurred.” It was his colleagues, a helper, and a driver, who called his wife to inform her of his demise. “Throughout the day, he frequently called and spoke to his children. Similarly, on Monday evening, when his wife saw a call from Paswan’s number, she assumed it would be to talk to his children,” said a friend. “Little did she know it was to deliver the news of his demise.” Bashir Ahmed Asik Ali Shaikh Bashir Shaikh, a taxi driver from Worli, met his untimely end while ferrying passengers, leaving behind a wife and a 22-year-old daughter who now grapple with the harsh reality of their loss. His brother Jaleel said, "He was ferrying two passengers from Worli to Mumbra, when they stopped at the CNG station in Ghatkopar. While they were in the queue, the hoarding suddenly collapsed on them." "Luckily, a family friend was also in the same queue at the gas station and as soon as he left the station, the hoarding collapsed. He looked for him initially but later called us and informed us about the tragedy, following which we rushed to the spot and subsequently to the hospital," he added. The family members alleged that they managed to trace his body by 3 am at Rajawadi hospital. Sachin Yadav "After tying the knot in Pratapgarh, Uttar Pradesh, he joined the petrol pump a year and a half ago. Little did anyone anticipate that his job would be the cause of his demise," lamented Sunil, Sachin Yadav's uncle. The 23-year-old, who completed his education up to tenth grade, resided in Sion with his wife and their three-month-old son. Sunil Sharma, his colleague, recounted, "I was present at the petrol pump when the tragedy struck. We were both on duty during the second shift when heavy rain began pouring down. Seeking shelter from the downpour, I headed inside the office, only to hear the deafening crash of the collapsing billboard. "After extricating ourselves from the rubble, I frantically searched for Yadav, but he was nowhere to be found," he added. Although three other petrol pump employees sustained injuries, Yadav tragically lost his life in the accident. Punesh Jadhav Punesh Jadhav, a tourist cab driver and resident of Mankhurd, had just dropped a passenger off and was refuelling his vehicle before heading home when the accident occurred. “While Punesh was waiting in line at the gas station to refuel, he phoned his wife to alert her about the worsening weather condition, urging her and their children to stay indoors. His wife had no idea that this would be their last conversation,” his cousin, Vishal Gaikwad said. Gaikwad recounted, "His wife knew he was at that gas station, so when she saw the news, she called me, sobbing uncontrollably." Upon learning that Jadhav might have been trapped at the Ghatkopar site, Gaikwad and other family members rushed to the scene. His body was recovered from the debris in the early hours. Mohammed Akram A rickshaw driver by profession, Mohammed Akram rarely fuelled his rickshaw at the pump where the incident occurred. While his wife and daughter remained in Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, the 48-year-old auto-rickshaw driver resided with his three brothers in Kamraj Nagar, Ghatkopar. Raja, his brother, said, “He would depart for work at 8 am and return home after a gruelling 12-hour shift." On Monday, when he failed to return home late into the night, his brothers began calling him, only to find his phone switched off. "They ventured outside and scoured the neighbourhood. Despite searching his usual parking spot, his vehicle was nowhere to be found, and nobody in the vicinity knew of his whereabouts," Raja recounted. Later, a local informed them of a hoarding collapse at a nearby petrol pump in Ghatkopar. They rushed to the scene and eventually located his remains at Rajawadi Hospital around midnight. His family members claim that it was his first time visiting the petrol pump on the Eastern Express Highway in Ghatkopar (East) to refuel with CNG when the tragic incident occurred. "We were informed that there was a lengthy queue, and while he waited his turn, the hoarding collapsed," a relative disclosed. Fahim Khan Fahim Khalil Khan, a resident of South Mumbai, worked as a waiter for a catering service in Kurla, Mumbai. He resided with his younger brother. While on duty, Khan was transporting utensils for a nearby function in a tempo belonging to his employer. During the journey, he made a stop at a petrol pump to refuel the tempo. At just 22 years old, Khan had recently moved to Mumbai in search of employment. He is survived by his parents in their hometown of Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, and an 18-year-old brother residing in Mumbai. "My brother was only twenty-two. I'm at a loss for words, and I don't know how to break this news to our parents back in Uttar Pradesh," expressed Nadeem Khan, Fahim's brother. Dhanesh Chouhan and Suraj Chouhan Dhanesh Chouhan and his son, Suraj Chouhan, who tragically lost their lives in the incident, resided in the Lullubhai Compound, Sathye Nagar, Mankhurd. Dhanesh worked as a tailor and often undertook delivery assignments, transporting fabrication material from Kurla to Mulund. His son, 19-year-old Suraj, was a college student who occasionally assisted his father with his work. Deepak Chouhan, Suraj's brother and Dhanesh's elder son, lamented, "Suraj sometimes accompanied papa on delivery runs; unfortunately, he was with him yesterday when this tragedy occurred." The duo stopped at a CNG pump to refuel the four-wheeler used for their deliveries and were later found deceased amidst the debris. Bharat Rathore Bharat Rathore, a delivery person by trade, resided in Ghatkopar East with his younger brother. Rathore went to refuel his scooter and met with the unfortunate incident. According to his friend Shrikant Telange, Rathore had recently endured the loss of his mother during the Covid-19 pandemic, and his father had been bedridden due to a chronic illness for several days. Rathore was known to leave for work early and usually returned home before nightfall. However, on Monday, he failed to return, and the family received the devastating news of his demise via a phone call. His body was discovered within hours of the incident. Officials reported that he had positioned himself outside the gas station's perimeter to shield himself from the wind. Chandramani Prajapati Chandramani Prajapati, a 45-year-old autorickshaw driver, Originally hailing from Jaunpur, Uttar Pradesh, Prajapati drove his rickshaw in Vikhroli to sustain himself. He resided in Vikhroli. He had gone to the pump to refuel his rickshaw. "He sustained a fatal head injury at the petrol pump, resulting in his immediate demise," stated Amresh Prajapati, Chandramani's nephew. It was reported that a sharp metal object struck his head, claiming his life on the spot. Prajapati was among those discovered deceased within hours of the rescue operation. The family received the heart-wrenching news around 10 pm on Monday, when doctors at Rajawadi Hospital, Ghatkopar, confirmed his passing. Satish Bahadur Singh Satish Bahadur Singh, a 51-year-old taxi driver from Nalasopara, operated his taxi within the Mumbai region. Concern gripped the family when Singh failed to return home as usual, especially amidst heavy rain and gusty winds. His son attempted to contact him, only to find his phone unreachable. Aware of the incident in Ghatkopar, the family initially didn't connect it with Singh's whereabouts. However, when Singh's son, Satyam Singh, tracked his location, it coincided with the site of the incident. It was then that the family feared the worst. "Fortunately, or unfortunately, we were able to trace his geo-location as his phone was linked to mine for safety reasons due to some prior incidents. We never anticipated such a tragic outcome," revealed Satyam Singh, who, along with his elder brother and brother-in-law, went to collect Singh's body.
