Mahindra and Mahindra have released a statement clarifying the airbag issue in the case filed against chairman Anand Mahindra and 12 others in the Kanpur accident involving a Scorpio SUV. The family of the victim alleged that the SUV did not have airbags, which could have saved his life.
The accident occurred on January 14 last year when the victim, who received the Scorpio SUV as a gift from his father, hit a divider in foggy conditions and overturned on his way from Lucknow to Kanpur. The victim tragically lost his life in the mishap. The family, concerned about the absence of airbag deployment despite the victim wearing a seatbelt, approached Mahindra’s service center for answers.
The family claimed that they were mistreated by the manager at the service station when they confronted him about the allegations of the SUV missing airbags. As a result, they filed an FIR against Mahindra and 12 others in Kanpur, accusing them of fraud and false assurances regarding the SUV’s safety.
In response, Mahindra has denied the charge, stating that the reason the airbags did not deploy was due to the angle at which the Scorpio SUV crashed. The carmaker clarified that the Scorpio S9 variant, purchased in 2020 for ₹17.39 lakh, did indeed have airbags. They conducted a detailed investigation in October last year to determine the cause of the airbag malfunction in the ill-fated Scorpio SUV involved in the Kanpur accident.
While the matter is currently sub-judice, Mahindra asserts their commitment to cooperate with the authorities in any further investigations required. The company expressed their heartfelt condolences to the victim’s family and acknowledged their grief.
It is important to note that Mahindra no longer sells the old version of the Scorpio SUV and it has been rebranded as the Scorpio Classic. The model, available in four variants starting at ₹13.25 lakh (ex-showroom), is equipped with safety features including at least two airbags for the driver and co-passenger, ABS with EBD, and crash sensors. However, the SUV received a two-star rating at the Global NCAP crash tests.
In conclusion, Mahindra has responded to the allegations regarding the lack of airbags in the Scorpio SUV involved in the Kanpur accident. They have clarified that the vehicle did have airbags and attributed the non-deployment to the specific circumstances of the crash. The case is currently under investigation, and Mahindra remains committed to cooperating with the authorities.
