Mumbai: A 33-year-old engineer from Badlapur and a 29-year-old Secunderabad resident, who were both part of the technical team working on the naval speedboat that rammed into a ferry boat on Wednesday, were among the 14 dead in the accident.
A mechanical engineer by training, Mangesh Kelshikar (33) was an employee of a boat manufacturing company that works for the Indian Navy. He is survived by his five-year-old child, and wife who is three months pregnant.
Unlike Kelshikar, Secunderabad resident Deepak Trilekar, who worked as a motor repairman, remained unidentified until Thursday. His family was finally traced in the early hours and flew to Mumbai. His eldest brother, Sravan Kumar, said, “He worked for a Chennai-based company, Marine Mukkam, and was the youngest of five brothers.”
Trilekar worked with the company for the past five years. “We believe he died due to the impact of the accident,” said company officials. Trilekar worked out of Goa but frequently travelled to Mumbai. “He was in Mumbai for the last seven days,” they added.
According to the Kelshikars, Mangesh worked for the Navy for 14 years. After his father’s death, he was the sole provider for his family comprising his mother, wife and son. His three-month-pregnant wife was crying inconsolably at home as crowds poured in after his funeral.
Neighbours said Mangesh was friendly and participated in all housing society programmes. The family wants the Navy or govt to provide financial assistance for his young family. — Eshan Kalyanikar & Pradeep Gupta
