Full Breakdown
Fatal BMW Crash on Mumbai’s Coastal Road Claims Three Lives, Links to Earlier March Incident
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Incident (September 20, 2026)
Around 5:20 a.m. on September 20, 2026, a black BMW travelling from Marine Drive toward Haji Ali lost control on the elevated Mumbai Coastal Road and plunged from the second-level ramp near Lotus Jetty. CCTV shows the vehicle at high speed striking the outer railing, falling about 70 ft (?75 m), and crashing into an under-construction parking site. All four occupants were taken to BYL Nair Hospital; three were declared dead on arrival: Shanay Gajjar, 21; Dhairya Sheth, 17; and an unidentified 25-year-old male. A fourth occupant, an unidentified man aged around 20, remains in critical condition.
Earlier Incident (March 29)
The same BMW was involved in a March 29 collision that struck a couple. Omkar Shirke filed a police complaint after the incident and recorded video that later resurfaced on social media.
Background & Context
The Mumbai Coastal Road, a 10.58-km high-speed corridor connecting Marine Drive with the Worli end of the Bandra-Worli Sea Link, opened in March 2024. Since then, at least six fatalities have been recorded on the road, rising to seven when the adjoining BKC stretch is included. Prior incidents include a worker death in September 2024 and several pedestrian and traffic-warden fatalities in 2025.
Data & Statistics
- Time of crash: ~5:20 a.m. (Coastal Road Control Room)
- Height of fall: reported as about 70 ft in police statements and 75 m in some media accounts.
- Victims: three dead (Shanay Gajjar, 21; Dhairya Sheth, 17; unidentified 25-year-old) and one critically injured (unidentified ~20-year-old).
- Vehicle: black BMW, registration DD-01-C-6302, owned by the driver’s family.
- Prior incident: March 29 collision with a couple; complaint filed at Gamdevi police station.
Official Statements & Responses
Senior Inspector Mina Jagtap of the Tardeo police station said the driver “could not negotiate the turn” and that the car’s airbags had deployed. Police traced the BMW through its registration number and contacted the driver’s father, who arrived to claim Shanay Gajjar’s body. Blood samples were collected for analysis by the Kalina Forensic Science Laboratory, and post-mortems were conducted at Nair Hospital. Accidental death cases will be registered, along with charges for causing death by negligence and rash driving.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- Victim ages: Sources list Aditya Jakasania as 19, 18, or 20 years old.
- Height of fall: Some reports cite 70 ft, others 75 m.
- Injured occupant’s identity: Described only as an “unidentified man aged around 20.”
Why It Matters
The crash highlights safety challenges on Mumbai’s newly built high-speed corridor. Repeated incidents involving excessive speed have prompted calls for stricter enforcement of speed limits, improved barrier design, and enhanced driver monitoring on the elevated stretch.
What’s Next
Police have launched a formal investigation, reviewing CCTV footage and forensic results. Cases under the Indian Penal Code for negligent driving are expected to be filed, and investigators will assess whether the March 29 incident indicates a pattern of reckless behavior by the driver. Updates will follow as legal proceedings progress.