Navi Mumbai Hit-and-Run Horror: Biker Rams Into Journalist, Cameras Fail to Read Number Plate

Navi Mumbai journalist Sandhya Jain suffered serious injuries after a speeding biker allegedly jumped a red signal and hit her scooty on Palm Beach Road. The biker escaped after the crash, while police said CCTV footage failed to clearly capture the motorcycle number plate due to poor camera quality.

A senior journalist from Navi Mumbai who writes on women’s rights and safety has suffered serious injuries after a speeding biker allegedly jumped a red signal and crashed into her scooty on Palm Beach Road. The victim, 56-year-old Sandhya Jain, has been admitted to Apollo Hospital in Seawoods for the past several days with multiple fractures and facial injuries. The accident took place on May 18 near the busy NRI Junction on Palm Beach Road, according to a report by the Times of India.

Despite the crash happening in broad daylight on one of Navi Mumbai’s most monitored roads, police have still not been able to identify or arrest the biker because CCTV cameras reportedly failed to clearly capture the motorcycle’s registration number.

Biker Allegedly Jumped Red Signal

Speaking from her hospital bed, Sandhya Jain said she was riding towards the NMMC head office in Belapur to meet a civic official when the accident happened around 4.39 pm. According to Jain, CCTV footage from cameras installed at the junction showed a biker wearing a maroon shirt speeding through the red signal before crashing directly into her scooty while her signal was green.

The impact threw her onto the road and left her unconscious.

Jain said the biker did not stop to help her after the accident. Instead, he allegedly picked up his motorcycle and quietly moved away from the spot before escaping.

Journalist Suffers Multiple Injuries

Doctors treating Jain said she suffered fractures in both hands, a broken nose, facial trauma and several other injuries.

The accident has left her bedridden for more than a week, while family members continue to demand stricter action and better surveillance systems in the city.

Jain is known locally for editing two magazines focused on women’s issues and social awareness.

Family Questions CCTV System

Her husband, Sandeep Kumar Jain, said it was shocking that the biker had still not been identified despite the road having several surveillance cameras, the TOI report added.

He said an FIR had been registered at the NRI police station against an unknown biker for rash and negligent driving, but investigators had failed to track the accused because the number plate was unclear in the CCTV footage.

The family questioned how such an important road stretch could have cameras that fail to record basic details needed in criminal investigations.

Police Say Number Plate Not Visible

Investigating officer Kiran Swar from NRI police station confirmed that officers had checked CCTV footage from the time of the crash. However, he said the motorcycle number plate could not be properly seen in the recordings, making identification difficult.

Police added that further investigation is continuing and efforts are being made to identify the biker through other clues available from nearby cameras.

Questions Raised Over Camera Quality

The incident has also sparked criticism about the quality and maintenance of CCTV cameras in Navi Mumbai.

Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation Commissioner Kailas Shinde said the police are the main users of the city’s CCTV network for traffic enforcement and crime monitoring. He added that if there were issues with camera quality, they should have been reported earlier.

He also confirmed that a private agency currently handles CCTV maintenance.

Social activist Madhu Shankar questioned the usefulness of such a large surveillance system if cameras cannot capture vehicle numbers even during daytime accidents.

Another social worker, Rajesh Singh of Ganga Sagar Foundation, said many junctions on Palm Beach Road already have cameras installed and suggested replacing weak systems with high-definition cameras and AI-supported technology for better identification.