In response to a concerning surge in fatal accidents since Thursday, law enforcement has heightened road monitoring across the country.
In the span of nearly three months, the nation has already witnessed 29 fatalities, marking a staggering increase of 13 deaths compared to the same period last year.
Among these casualties, motorcyclists remain the most vulnerable, accounting for 12 victims.
Pedestrians and car passengers follow closely behind with five deaths each, along with four drivers, two cyclists, and one motorcycle passenger.
The youngest victim, a five-year-old child, tragically lost his life in an accident last month in Mapou while riding in a car driven by his mother’s partner, who also did not survive.
During the past week alone, two motorcyclists and a taxi driver lost their lives in three separate accidents.
The first incident occurred on Tuesday night on the Ring Road during an illegal motorcycle rally, claiming the life of Israfil Tagaully, an 18-year-old resident of Plaine-Verte.
Tagaully had ventured out with friends on his motorcycle while his parents were away for errands.
According to a family friend, he had informed his mother earlier that he would be meeting friends without specifying their destination.
Around fifteen youths had departed from Port-Louis to Pailles, and their presence on the highway was confirmed by surveillance footage from the Safe City Network, which is in possession of the police.
Investigators suspect that Tagaully collided with another rider from Terre-Rouge during a one-on-one race, resulting in both riders being injured on the road.
Tagaully succumbed to his injuries shortly after. A subsequent autopsy attributed his death to multiple injuries sustained in the crash.
Two days later, Tagaully’s friend was arrested and charged with involuntary manslaughter. Investigators are continuing their probe and are considering filing charges of failure to assist a person in danger against the fleeing group members.
The second accident occurred the following day on Montée S, claiming the life of Constable Ally Ackbar Beekharry, a 25-year-old officer.
Beekharry was riding his motorcycle towards Grande-Rivière-Nord-Ouest (GRNO) when a car exiting Petite-Rivière collided with him.
The ERS Transport Squad member was killed instantly, while the 41-year-old female driver was provisionally charged with involuntary manslaughter at the Port-Louis court on Thursday.
As the investigation progresses, authorities may bring additional charges against her, including dangerous driving, as they possess surveillance footage from the Safe City Network.
According to investigators, the vehicle failed to yield the right of way when exiting the roundabout in an attempt to head towards Coromandel.
The woman, a resident of Beau-Bassin, was returning home after completing her shift at a factory.
Constable Beekharry had served five years in the police force. He had gone to the Police Quarters in Coromandel to clean his new apartment and was on his way to his parents’ home in Vallée-des-Prêtres at the time of the accident. He had been married for two years and had no children.
The latest victim, Sanjay Kumar Ramchurn, aged 49, was involved in a taxi accident in Clémencia, Bel-Air-Rivière-Sèche, on Wednesday night.
Police learned that he was heading home in the village when a dog suddenly appeared on the road.
While attempting to avoid the animal, Ramchurn lost control of his vehicle, ultimately colliding with a wall and coming to a stop against a tree.
Firefighters had to extricate Ramchurn from his taxi, and a SAMU doctor pronounced him dead at the scene. He leaves behind two children.
Source: Le Mauricien
