Cyrus Mistry's last rites today; Mercedes team visits accident spot

Former Tata Sons Chairman Cyrus Mistry.

The last rites of Cyrus Mistry, former chairman of Tata Sons who was killed in a car crash, will be performed in Mumbai on Tuesday, his family said.

Mistry's funeral will be held at the Worli crematorium at 11 am.

Since the Worli facility opened in 2015, a growing number of Mumbai's Parsis are choosing to cremate their deceased loved ones instead of consigning them to the traditional Towers of Silence to be consumed by vultures.

A team from German luxury carmaker Mercedes-Benz, whose car crashed into a road divider killing Mistry and another occupant, visited the accident spot, around 100 km from Mumbai, on Monday, a police official said.

The crash survivors, gynecologist Anahita Pandole, who was driving the car, and her husband Darius, were on Monday morning shifted by road to a private hospital in Mumbai from Vapi in Gujarat where they were taken on Sunday shortly after the accident.

Anahita would undergo surgery after her situation improves, a hospital official said. Her husband has been admitted to the Intensive Care Unit of the hospital.

Anahita Pandole (55) has suffered hip fracture while Darius (60) had jaw fractures causing airways obstruction, a doctor said.

Anahita was driving the car on way to Mumbai from Gujarat when it hit a divider on Surya river bridge in Palghar district. Darius was sitting in the front seat.

Mistry and Jahangir Pandole, brother of Darius, who were on the back seats, were killed in the accident.

The deceased were not wearing seat belts as per a preliminary probe, a police official said, adding that over-speeding and an "error of judgement" by the driver caused the accident.

Prima facie, the luxury car was speeding when the accident took place, the official said.

Sanjay Mohite, IG Konkan range, said police will check the car's brake fluid level.

Low brake fluid causes air to fill the gaps in the brake line, leading to soft brakes. Spongy brake pedals can be dangerous, the official said.

"We will check the parameters from Mercedes-Benz regarding the brake condition. A high-end vehicle can provide details such as tyre pressure, level of brake fluid etc. By looking at the vehicle, it looks like it must have been in high speed," Mohite told reporters.

Cyrus Mistry (54) is survived by wife Rohiqa, sons Firoz and Zahan, mother Patsy Mistry, sisters Laila Rustom Jehangir and Aloo Noel Tata, and brother Shapoor Mistry, a statement said.

Born on July 4, 1968, Cyrus earned a civil engineering degree from London's Imperial College of Science and Technology and a post-graduate degree of Master of Science in Management from London Business School.

He joined the family business in March 1991 as a Director, overseeing the group's construction business, it said.Born on July 4, 1968, Cyrus earned a civil engineering degree from London's Imperial College of Science and Technology and a post-graduate degree of Master of Science in Management from London Business School.

CPM, as he was fondly known, was a voracious reader, committed to a journey of lifelong learning across multiple disciplines. Despite his success, he always kept a low profile, away from the limelight, the statement said, adding Mistry deeply valued righteousness and honesty and was known for his transparency and integrity in all his business dealings.CPM, as he was fondly known, was a voracious reader, committed to a journey of lifelong learning across multiple disciplines.

He was extremely humble, approachable to all, and always lent a helping hand to the less fortunate, it said.

Some family members are arriving in Mumbai by Monday night. Mistry's body will be taken to Worli crematorium today and he will be cremated at 11 am, a family member said.

The bodies of Mistry and his friend Jahangir Pandole have been kept at the mortuary of the state-run J J Hospital here.

(With PTI inputs)