Cyrus Mistry death: Last rites of industrialist in Mumbai today
The last rites of business tycoon and ex-Tata Sons chairman Cyrus Mistry—who died in a car crash on Sunday—were performed at Mumbai's Worli Crematorium on Tuesday. Many prominent personalities like Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MP Supriya Sule and businessman Anil Ambani attended the funeral. Meanwhile, autopsy reports have revealed that Mistry died instantly after suffering a hemorrhage and severe chest injury after the crash.
Why does this story matter?
Mistry, Shapoorji Pallonji Group's youngest scion, was returning to Mumbai from Gujarat's Udwada with three family friends when their SUV—a Mercedes-Benz GLC—rammed into a divider in Maharashtra's Palghar district. His death has shocked the commercial and industrialist circles. Mistry joined the Tata Group as a director in 2006 and quickly rose up the ranks. However, in 2016, Tata Sons' board voted to remove him.
Funeral was performed according to Parsi rituals
With father and son passing away, SP Group future uncertain?
Following Mistry's death, the future of the 157-year-old Shapoorji Pallonji (SP) Group—which has a net worth of $30 billion and owns an 18.6% stake in the Tata Group—apparently remains uncertain. To recall, his father Pallonji Mistry passed away aged 93 on June 28 this year. Reportedly, market analytics agencies had recently rated the group as "A" after it repaid loans worth thousands of crores.
Overspeeding and error of judgment reason for crash
According to a preliminary inquiry, the SUV was running at a speed of 130-140km/h and covered 20km in nine minutes before crashing into a divider on Charoti Bridge over the Surya River on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad National Highway. Mistry and his friend Jehangir Pandole were in the back seat without seatbelts. The accident was reportedly caused due to overspeeding and the driver's "error of judgment."
Anahita, Darius Pandole shifted to Mumbai hospital
Meanwhile, prominent Mumbai-based gynecologist Anahita Pandole (55), who was driving the car, suffered a hip fracture. Her husband and Jehangir's brother, Darius (60), sitting in the front sustained jaw fractures which caused breathing obstruction, and was admitted to the ICU. On Monday, the couple was shifted to a private hospital in Mumbai from Vapi in Gujarat where they were taken after the accident.
Bad road projects to blame for accidents: Nitin Gadkari
After the incident, industrialist Anand Mahindra pledged to always wear a seatbelt even when sitting in a car's backseat. Meanwhile, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari said, "Some DPRs [detailed project reports] prepared by companies are worst and are responsible for road accidents in the country." He also highlighted the need for organizational training programs for companies to prepare the DPRs.
