Court acquits Merc driver in 2019 pedestrian death case

Panaji: A court in Merces on Monday acquitted Mayur Dhond in a 2019 hit-and-run case involving the death of 68-year-old Remediana Do Rosario. Dhond was accused of hitting Rosario with his Mercedes-Benz while she was crossing the road near the football ground at Campal, Panaji, around 5am on Dec 1, 2019. Rosario later succumbed to her injuries while undergoing treatment at GMC.

The court held that the prosecution failed to establish that Dhond was driving the vehicle involved in the accident or that he fled the scene without providing medical assistance to the victim.

Chief judicial magistrate of ‘A’ court, Merces, Sarika N Fal Dessai, noted that the testimony of the sole eyewitness did not support the prosecution’s case. While the prosecution claimed the vehicle involved was red, the eyewitness described it as silver. “There is no explanation as to the contradiction on the colour,” the court observed.

The court further held that the identification of the accused by the eyewitness, Maria, could not be relied upon.

The eyewitness had stated that the accident occurred early in the morning and visibility was unclear. The court said that, in the absence of a test identification parade, the dock identification of the accused could not be treated as proven.

The court further noted inconsistencies in the investigation regarding the point of impact.