Almost 15 days after the 32-year-old son of an underworld gangster was found dead on tracks near Sewri railway station, the Government Railway Police (GRP) said he was hit by a train while walking on the tracks drunk.
Gitesh was the son of Chandrakant Khopade, leader of the Golden Gang, which operated out of Sun Mill compound at Lower Parel during the heyday of Mumbai’s underworld gangs.
The gang was known to protect other underworld dons such as Haji Mastan and Varadarajan Mudaliyar.
Gitesh’s body was found on the tracks around 10.30 am on October 3, a GRP officer said. The GRP had registered a case of accidental death.
They were, however, investigating whether it was a suicide or an accidental death.
IB Sarode, senior inspector of Wadala GRP, said Gitesh had consumed a lot of alcohol and was crossing the tracks when a train hit him.
Gitesh’s friend, who was also drinking with him, revealed that he had left to buy more alcohol but did not return, the officer said. “Gitesh told his friend that he was going to buy more alcohol from the other side of the tracks,” said Sarode.
According to another GRP officer, Gitesh, who lived in Virar, owned a few shops at Lower Parel and earned rent from them. “Based on the way the body was found, it is now clear that it was an accident. In a suicide case, the body is usually found on the side of the tracks,” Sarode said.