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Syed Firdaus Ashraf in Mumbai
Nobody wanted to know who the dead man was, but everybody outside the Bandra police station in northwest Mumbai wanted to know the fate of Salman Khan.
Early on Saturday morning, the Bollywood star had allegedly run over four people killing Nuru alias Behra and injuring three others, two of them seriously.
"Nuru was very upset with life since his wife had left him to marry another man," recalled Mohammad Muslim who was sleeping next to Nuru on the Bandra pavement when the Landcruiser drove over them.
"Just last night he told me how he was passing through a difficult time and how upset he was with life," Muslim said as he lay in the Bhabha hospital with a fractured leg. Alongside lay another of those injured, Abdullah Rauf Shaikh.
"I saw Salman coming out of the car after the accident," Muslim alleged. "He did not have the courtesy to take us to hospital even though we were crying out in pain. He ran away when people (near the accident site) started beating him up and the other man in the car, (singer) Kamal Khan."
Salman Khan was driving down from the J W Mariott hotel in Juhu, about three kilometers away from the accident site, to his home in Bandra. The police complaint alleged he was driving the Landcruiser; traveling him were Kamal Khan and police Constable Ravindra Patil who was there to provide Salman Khan protection after the star complained he had received threats from gangsters.
Muslim alleged that the star's younger brother, actor Arbaaz Khan, arrived soon after the accident to remove the CD player from the vehicle, but he too did not bother to find out who was injured.
"We were crying out in pain, but Salman's brother asked who had dared hit his brother. After the crowd chased him he too ran away," Muslim said. "I am worried how I will meet my medical expenses. I have no money to pay for my treatment."
Muslim, a native of Gonda in Uttar Pradesh, arrived in Mumbai two months ago to work at a bakery so that he could send some money back to his poor parents. He said he had managed to save Rs 1,000 so far to send home.
"I don't know how long it will take for me to recover or when I can get back to work. I only hope someone compensates me for this accident," Muslim said.
Muslim and Shaikh, both of who suffered fractures, have been admitted to the Bhabha hospital, a facility run by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation. They share a ward with 20 other patients on the hospital's eighth floor.
The owner of the bakery, where Muslim and Shaikh are employed, refused to speak to this correspondent. Other employees were instructed not to speak to the press.
Nuru's body was handed over to his brother, who was initially pushed around by policemen at the Bandra police station; the policemen apparently assumed he was one of those who had gathered outside to get a glimpse of Salman Khan.
It was only when he shouted "My brother has died and I have come to collect his body," that police constables granted him access to the police station.
At 0830 hours Assistant Police Inspector Nitin Yadav at the Bandra police station had told this correspondent, "Salman Khan is absconding. He ran away from the backdoor of his apartment when we went to arrest him. He is wanted by the police."
Salman Khan gave himself up to the police later and was produced at the Bandra police station at 1100 hours.
He was released from police custody after a couple of hours.
By then all API Jadhav would offer by way of comment was "no comment." The police officer was unwilling to explain how Salman Khan was released, and under what circumstances.
Waris Pathan, the star's lawyer, told reporters, "Salman was not driving the car and was sitting in the back seat. I have nothing more to say; the case is sub judice."
Pathan would not confirm if Salman Khan had secured bail. It was left to Wazir Amrohi, one of the star's relatives, to confirm to reporters that Salman Khan had indeed obtained bail and that Amrohi had signed the relevant papers.
Before Salman Khan was released Assistant Commissioner of Police Subhash Jadhav informed reporters, "A case has been registered against Salman Khan under Section 304 (A) of the (Indian Penal Code) for rash and negligent driving. This is a bailable offence and Salman can get bail."
Salman Khan took a blood test to establish if he was driving under the influence of alcohol. However, the test was conducted several hours after the accident occurred.
As the star left the police station, refusing to speak to reporters about the accident that left one man dead and two others seriously injured, reporters were asking themselves if this tragic episode too would end up like the Puru Raaj Kumar and Sanjeev Nanda cases.
Puru Raaj Kumar, son of the late actor Raaj Kumar, drove over several pavement dwellers outside a mosque in Bandra; several died. Three labourers sleeping on the pavement in Delhi's Lodhi Colony died when Nanda, grandson of former naval chief Admiral S L Nanda (retired), drove his BMW over them.
Soon after those accidents, there was much hue and cry in the media and outside. After a while, the accused went on with their lives, and the dead and maimed were forgotten.
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