Cyclone Vayu: 63-year-old Mumbai man becomes first casualty as hoarding falls on him

Cyclone Vayu: 63-year-old Mumbai man becomes first casualty as hoarding falls on him

Cyclone Vayu claimed its first life even before making landfall.

A pedestrian was killed Wednesday after a portion of a cladding fell on him at the bustling Churchgate railway station in Mumbai, officials said.

Madhukar Narvekar (62) was passing through Churchgate station building when the portion, part of the 81 ft x 54 ft mural of Mahatma Gandhi, fell on him, a railway official said.

Narvekar was rushed to a nearby hospital but succumbed to injuries on his head and chest.

Officials on the scene said that an aluminium cladding panel on the second and third floor of the east side facade of Churchgate station building fell down due to which three persons were injured.

Two persons with escaped with minor injuries but one senior citizen Madhukar Narvekarage succumbed to his injuries.

A high-level JA grade enquiry has been constituted to investigate the matter.

It was not clear if Narvekar was a railway commuter or just a passerby but in either case, compensation (amount) will be given, an official said.

The cladding fell due to the strong wind blowing from the seaside and it could not withstand wind pressure, he said.

The cladding was part of the 81 ft x 54 ft mural of Mahatma Gandhi, installed in November 2017 at the station building, the official said.

It is the work of Brazilian street artist Eduardo Kobra who paid homage to Gandhi with the mural on the facade of Churchgate station. Kobra has also painted a mural of Nelson Mandela in Rome.

In October last year, four persons were killed after a 40-foot tall hoarding collapsed in Pune. The metal hoarding frame, installed on land belonging to the Pune railway department, collapsed when it was being cut.