‘Everything in our life was about Vihan’: Family of Chembur tree collapse victim searches for a new purpose

5 min readMumbaiJul 17, 2026 07:00 AM IST

Vihan Srivastava and his parents, Juhi and Gaurav Srivastava.

“Everything in our life was centred around our son. We planned our daily routine around him, his school and even our holidays. With him gone, we are repurposing the objective of our life.”

Two weeks after 11-year-old Vihan Srivastava was killed when a tree fell on his school van in Chembur, his parents say they are struggling to rebuild a life that revolved around their only child. Even as the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has ordered a fresh inquiry into the incident, the family says the civic body’s first report has only deepened their grief.

Calling the findings of the initial inquiry “shocking” and “unacceptable”, the family has demanded an independent probe and warned that it will move court if accountability is not fixed.

“When the incident happened, the inquiry committee was formed swiftly and we were relieved to see some quick response. However, the report has shifted the entire onus on the contractors. Even though the department was responsible for not taking adequate measures, there has been no action against anyone. We are in shock and angry,” Vihan’s father, Gaurav Srivastava, told The Indian Express.

“Vihan dreamt of becoming a cricketer. He loved the new generation of cricketers. He not only watched matches but closely followed the pre- and post-match discussions. He loved sports and was equally inclined towards academics,” Gaurav said.

Earlier this week, the BMC’s three-member inquiry committee gave a clean chit to the civic roads and gardens departments while imposing a Rs 7 lakh penalty on the contractor and consultant executing road works around the tree. The panel concluded that excavation around the tree had weakened its roots, leading to the collapse. Following public outrage, the civic body has now ordered a fresh inquiry.

Seeking an independent probe, Gaurav said the family would consider legal action if responsibility was not fixed.

“If things don’t move in the right direction, we will take legal action,” he said, adding that no BMC official has approached the family since the day of the accident.

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On June 30, Vihan was returning home from Universal High School with 11 other students when a large peepal tree collapsed onto his school van on Road No. 11 in Chembur’s Subhash Nagar. While most of the children escaped unharmed, four were injured and Vihan suffered fatal head injuries.

For the Srivastavas, every day since has been a reminder of the absence of their only son.

“We had recently travelled to Singapore and had already started planning our next trip. Everything we did revolved around him. Now we are trying to repurpose the objective of our life,” Gaurav said.

Sant Khare, a relative who flew in from London after the accident, said the family’s grief continues to surface in the smallest moments.

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The family now plans to sponsor cricket coaching and education for children from underprivileged backgrounds.

“His parents keep looking at the time and thinking that by now he would be at school or would have returned home. They had only one son and wanted to do everything for him. They feel they have no purpose left,” he said.

Yet, amid the grief, the family has decided that Vihan’s memory should live on through a cause he would have loved.

“Vihan dreamt of becoming a cricketer. He loved the new generation of cricketers. He not only watched matches but closely followed the pre- and post-match discussions. He loved sports and was equally inclined towards academics,” Gaurav said.

The family now plans to sponsor cricket coaching and education for children from underprivileged backgrounds.

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“We are still reeling from the shock, but we are drawing strength from our friends and family. We hope to carry forward Vihan’s dream of becoming a cricketer by supporting children who share that ambition,” he added.

Welcoming the BMC’s decision to order a fresh inquiry, Khare said the family would wait to see whether it leads to meaningful accountability.

“We welcome this move of the BMC rejecting the report and calling for a fresh inquiry. However, we are waiting for details such as the composition of the inquiry committee, its timeline and when the report will be made public before deciding our further course,” he said.

Nayonika Bose is a Senior Correspondent with The Indian Express’ Mumbai bureau. While in the early stages of her career, her focused reporting on local governance and community welfare already demonstrates clear Expertise and Trustworthiness in covering essential civic issues impacting Mumbai's residents.

Expertise & Authority (E-E-A-T)

Specialized Focus: Nayonika's reporting is dedicated to civic and community issues, providing readers with highly relevant, ground-level information about the functionality and administration of India's largest metropolitan area.

Core Coverage Areas: Her articles highlight a strong focus on the fundamental quality of life and public safety in Mumbai, including:

Civic Infrastructure: Reports on critical failures and initiatives related to public works, such as the recurring problem of unauthorized building collapses in Navi Mumbai, the construction of new infrastructure projects (like the Dahisar-Bhayandar Link Road and the Mahalaxmi cable-stayed bridge), and the maintenance of essential city services (e.g., manhole cover theft).

Urban Governance & Crisis Management: Provides detailed coverage of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) response to major crises, particularly during the monsoon (e.g., heavy rainfall, water cuts, and public health concerns like dengue and malaria) and large-scale public safety incidents (e.g., the hoarding collapse fallout).

Community Welfare & Rights: Reports on key social issues, including the financial aid scheme for persons with disabilities, the struggles of Mumbai's hawkers protesting eviction drives, and the dangers faced by workers due to the continuation of manual scavenging in water tanks.

Cultural & Heritage Reporting: Covers significant community stories, including the restoration of British-era fountains and the history of institutions like the 126-year-old Chinchpokli cemetery, showing a breadth of interest beyond pure administration.

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