Doctor who mowed down 60-year-old woman on Mumbai hospital premises released on bail

At around 7.30 pm on Friday, Dr Dere stepped out of the building and got into his car to mark his attendance. While driving towards the punching machine, as he turned left near Gate 7, he did not notice the woman who was there and allegedly ran his car over her.

She was later identified as Zubaida Shaikh, a Mumbra resident.

The matter was not immediately reported to the police by the hospital. Later, when CCTV footage of the hospital premises was scanned, it was found that Dr Dere was allegedly behind the wheels.

According to the police, Dr Dere called the authorities of the government hospital after the incident and admitted Shaikh to ward number 20. She was placed on a ventilator but died during treatment.

Shaikh is survived by her husband, two sons and a daughter. Her son Shahnawaz said on Saturday, “My mother, who had diabetes, got a cut on her hand that worsened. She was admitted to the hospital in April and discharged on May 16. She visited the hospital on Friday for her routine check-up.”

The police have booked Dr Dere under Indian Penal Code sections including 304A (causing death by negligence), 279 (rash driving), 338 (causing grievous hurt by endangering life or personal safety), 177 (furnishing false information) and 203 (giving false information about an offence) as well as section 184 of the Motor Vehicles Act.

The police are awaiting a medical report of Dr Dere to ascertain whether he was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the incident.

Dr Dere was the nodal coordinator for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s Jumbo Covid Centres in Mumbai during the pandemic. Speaking to the media on Saturday, Dr Dere said, “I was not speeding inside the hospital. After the incident, I personally took her to the hospital and admitted her to the ICU.”

When asked about Dr Dere’s claim that the cause of the woman’s death was cardiac arrest and not injuries from the accident, his lawyer said, “I would not comment on this as the matter is under investigation.”