Ex-Intel India head's death: Driver blames sleeps for fatal crash
The driver of the cab that hit former head of Intel India Avtar Saini on Thursday told the police that he lost control over the vehicle as he dozed off due to fatigue from driving overnight. Saini was killed after the cab knocked him down while he was cycling on the Palm Beach Road in Navi Mumbai at around 5:50am. A case was registered against the driver, 23-year-old Rishikesh Khade, following the incident. Khade is yet to be arrested.
Lost control of vehicle, says driver
During questioning, Khade admitted that he fell asleep at the wheel after driving all night, causing him to lose control of the cab. After the crash, Khade tried to flee the scene with the bicycle frame stuck under the front wheels of the cab. Saini's friends rushed him to a hospital where he was declared dead. The 68-year-old was known for his work on the Intel 386, Intel 486 microprocessors, as well as leading the design of the Pentium processor.
Police waiting for Saini's kin to claim body
Khade has been charged under sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including rash driving and causing death by any rash or negligent act not amounting to culpable homicide, as well as provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act. The cab driver has not been arrested since the maximum punishment for the sections applied against him is below seven years. Police are waiting for Saini's children, who live in the United States, to claim his body and perform his last rites.
Saini served at Intel for 22 years
Saini served at Intel for 22 years. He was involved in the first phase of the development of the Itanium Processor, the 64-bit Intel microprocessor. He left Intel in January 2004 and was associated with a number of smaller but equally forward-thinking technology companies like Montalvo Systems, where he was the director of India operations between 2005 and 2008.
Tributes pour in after Saini's death
Gokul V Subramaniam, Intel India president, shared his condolences on social media, stating that Saini was instrumental in establishing Intel's Research & Development Center in India. Anand Parthasarathy, editor of IndiaTechOnline, said, "Saini's contribution to the development of the Pentium processor was central to the timely commercial rollout of the chip." "Together with Vinod Dham and Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Saini formed a unique threesome of Indians who contributed to Pentium," Parthasarathy added.
