Businessman Arrested in Udaipur Following Mumbai Billboard Collapse
Bhavesh Bhinde, the owner of Ego Media Pvt Ltd, was arrested last night in Udaipur, Rajasthan, after a massive manhunt by the Mumbai Police Crime Branch. Bhinde’s arrest comes in the wake of a catastrophic incident on Monday evening, when a 120 feet by 120 feet billboard installed by his company collapsed in Mumbai’s Ghatkopar, killing 16 people and injuring 75 others. The billboard fell on a petrol pump amid gusty winds and unseasonal rains, leading to a tragic loss of life and sparking public outrage.
Following the incident, Bhinde fled Mumbai with his driver, initiating a multi-state pursuit by law enforcement. Eight teams from the Mumbai Police were deployed to various locations, eventually tracking Bhinde’s movements through Lonavala, Mumbai, Thane, Ahmedabad, and finally to Udaipur, where he had assumed a false identity and hidden in a hotel. Joint Commissioner of Police Crime Lakhmi Gautam confirmed that Bhinde was apprehended Thursday evening and brought back to Mumbai, where he will be presented in court.
The tragedy has brought to light severe lapses in regulatory oversight of advertising installations in Mumbai. The illegal billboard, erected on land belonging to the Government Railway Police (GRP), has prompted calls for stricter enforcement of safety standards to prevent such incidents in the future. The search and rescue operation at the collapse site concluded at 10 am on Thursday, as confirmed by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF).
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