Former Indian cricket captain and MP Mohammad Azharuddin’s son, Mohammad Ayazuddin, was grievously injured when he and his cousin, Ajmal-ur-Rahman, met with an accident on Sunday while riding a motorbike. Rahman, who was riding pillion, died while Ayazuddin is battling for life.
The two were riding Ayazuddin’s new Suzuki GS XR 1000 bike on the newly-laid eight-lane Outer Ring Road on the city outskirts early in the morning when the mishap occurred. Sources said that Ayazuddin was doing around 200 kmph when he lost control of the bike at Poppalaguda village.
The Raidurgam police received a phone call at about 9.30 am that two youngsters were lying unconscious after a bike crash. A patrol vehicle was rushed immediately. However, it’s not clear when the accident exactly took place. Rahman, who was declared brought-dead at a corporate hospital, had severe head and internal injuries while Ayazuddin, who is on ventilator support, is critical.
Doctors said that Ayazuddin suffered major injuries to his chest and kidneys. It is learnt that the duo were dragged for about half-a-kilometre when the bike toppled. Ayazuddin is a second-year B.Com student at St. Mary’s College. He is Mr Azharuddin’s younger son with his first wife Naureen. The couple had divorced a long time back. Rahman was an intermediate first-year student of the same college.
Though the family members had earlier warned the two about riding the new bike, the cousins had reportedly decided to go biking on the Outer Ring Road at around 6.30 am on Sunday. Rahman went to Ayazuddin’s house and parked his car and the latter came out while his family was asleep and the two left with the bike.
Rahman had earlier apparently told his friends that Ayazuddin was planning to ride his new bike at 250 kmph. The friends, however, were apprehensive about it. Ayazuddin’s mother Naureen, who lives in Saudi Arabia, reached Hyderabad on Sunday evening. Ayazuddin has been staying with his paternal grandfather at Jubilee Hills.
Mr Azharuddin, who is in London, is reaching Hyderabad late in the night. His wife, Sangeeta Bijlani, was one of the first visitors to the hospital. Sources said that the motorcycle was not yet registered and the two were perhaps test-driving it.
“We have registered a case against Ayazuddin for negligent and rash driving under Section 304A IPC,” said Narsingi police inspector P. Narayana. It’s not clear whether Ayazuddin holds a valid driving licence. The inspector added that though they had rushed a patrol vehicle to the spot, the ambulance could not arrive on time. “We were told that the ambulance was stuck in Ganesh processions. We then rushed them to a corporate hospital in Jubilee Hills in our police station vehicle. The parents were informed about the mishap,” he said.
Motorcycle deaths are not uncommon on the Outer Ring Road though two and three-wheelers are prohibited on the stretch. Earlier on June 20, Prasad, son of movie artiste Kota Srinivasa Rao, was killed in an accident.