The CEO of a Mumbai-based tech company was out for a jog along Worli sea face in the city on Sunday, March 19, when a speeding car rammed into her. Rajalakshmi Vijay (57), the CEO of private tech firm Altruist Technologies and an avid runner, suffered serious head injuries as a result of the impact. Times of India reported that Rajalakshmi was flung onto the bonnet of a speeding Tata Nexon car which then crashed into a divider near Worli Milk Dairy. Rajalakshmi was reportedly thrown into the air and suffered critical injuries.
While she was rushed to hospital, Rajalakshmi was declared dead. The driver of the car, 23-year-old Sumer Dharmesh Merchant, has been arrested under section 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of the Indian Penal Code and charges of rash driving under the Motor Vehicles Act. Police are yet to ascertain whether Sumer was under the influence of alcohol or narcotics at the time of the accident. Police told TOI that his blood samples have been sent for testing. He will be produced before a Mumbai court on Monday.
DCP (zone III) Akbar Pathan told TOI that after the accident, three people came out of the car. Sumer reportedly tried to flee the scene but was caught by bystanders. The car reportedly touched speeds of 100 kmph when the accident occurred. Sumer, a resident of Tardeo in Mumbai, works with an event management company associated with Bollywood.