Mumbai

The death of renowned industrialist Cyrus P. Mistry of the multinational Shapoorji Pallonji Group, in a road accident on the Ahmedabad-Mumbai national highway in Maharashtra's Palghar on Sunday afternoon, has stunned the country.

Mistry, 54 is survived by his wife Rohiqa Chagla, their two sons Firoz and Zahan, an elder brother Shapoor Mistry and other family members. Also killed in the crash was Jehangir D. Pundole, of the famed Dukes' soft drinks and foods company and the Pundole Art Gallery in Mumbai. Another couple in the vehicle - Jehangir's brother, Darius D. Pundole and wife Dr. Anahita Darius Pundole - were critically injured and taken to Rainbow Hospital in Vapi in south Gujarat), said an officer of Palghar police.

According to news reports, Cyrus Mistry and the Pundoles had been to Udwada, a coastal town in South Gujarat where Parsis have their main 'Fire Temple' The accident took place when they were returning.

Mistry's sudden death comes barely two months after his father, Pallonji Shapoorji Mistry, the Chairman Emeritus of the Group, passed away, aged 93, in Mumbai on June 28.

Taking serious cognisance, the state government has ordered a probe into the incident that stunned the corporate world. Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis who handles the home portfolio, said he has spoken to the Director General of Police Rajnish Sheth and ordered a detailed investigation into the incident.

According to Palghar Superintendent of Police Balasaheb Patil, the accident took place on the Ahmedabad-Mumbai national highway, around 3.15 pm, barely a couple of hours' drive from Mumbai.

"Of the four persons in the Mercedes car, two - (Mistry and Jehangir Pundole) - were declared dead instantly and two others (Darius and his wife Dr. Anahita Pundole) who were injured critically, have been rushed to Rainbow Hospital in Vapi," Patil told media persons.

According to eyewitness accounts, Dr. Anahita Pundole - a medico with the Breach Candy Hospital - was driving the car.

Palghar police officials have provisionally treated it as an accident, saying that Mistry and the Pundoles apparently became victims of "over-speeding" as the car hit with full force a highway divider on the River Surya flowing along the national highway near Charoti, around 105 km north of Mumbai.The impact of the crash was so powerful that although the car's airbags were deployed, they failed to save the occupants - killing two and injuring two others - and the dark-grey Mercedes badly damaged.

Mistry was the 6th Chairman of Tata Group and only the second non-Tata family person to head the conglomerate.He held an Irish passport on account of his mother, (who was Irish national with Indian origins), and after acquiring his OCI, he was a permanent resident of India.

The news that broke on Sunday a little past 3 p,m. stunned people in the Indian corporate and political circles and many reacted with initial disbelief..

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari expressed grief and shock over the tragedy and Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said Mistry's demise is a loss not only to his family but also the country's industrial world. Nationalist Congress President Sharad Pawar, Congress state and central leaders, Shiv Sena leaders and other top politicians have condoled Mistry's demise. NCP MP Supriya Sule expressed shock at the incident on Twitter. "Devastating News My Brother Cyrus Mistry passed away. Can't believe it. Rest in Peace Cyrus."

Several ministers, senior politicians, senior persons in corporate world in India and abroad have grieved Mistry's death.