A LOVING husband died after a ‘terrible and tragic’ road traffic collision, an inquest has heard.

Prashant “Pru” Dolatrai Naik, 56, of MacDonald Road, Lightwater, Surrey, was pronounced dead at the scene after his Ducati motorcyle was involved in a collision with a Ford Fiesta.

The incident took place at around 10.20am on Sunday 20 September on the B3349, near the junction with Churchill Avenue.

At an inquest today (Thursday, April 15), Portsmouth Coroner's Court heard that Pru passed away after the rear wheel of his motorcycle slipped, causing him to veer into the opposite side of the road during ‘one catastrophic split second’.  

Pru, who was a was very competent and confident rider, died of severe multiple injuries as a result of the incident. A toxicology report found no traces of alcohol or drugs in his system.

Senior Coroner Christopher Wilkinson stated: “The nature and severity of Pru’s injuries were such that in my view his death would have been instantaneous.

“I don’t think that Pru would have known anything, I don’t think he would have felt anything. I genuinely believe that he would not have suffered.”

He added: “Even in his passing he was being comforted, he wasn’t alone, he was being taken care of.”

On the day of his death, Pru had been riding with his friend of 25 years, Alan Butchers, they were heading to their regular coffee shop in Odiham high street for a muffin and a hot drink.

Audio captured on Pru’s helmet camera shows him overtaking Alan and he was heard to say, “this is my play road”.

Forensic collision investigator PC Clifford stated that evidence suggested Pru was travelling at around 64-66mph in a 40mph zone when the crash occurred.

Video footage captured on Pru's helmet shows that the rear wheel of his motorcycle slipped out over the central white lines on the road for a ‘nanosecond’, causing him to briefly change direction into the opposite side of the road.

Whilst Pru had been travelling in excess of 20 miles above the speed limit, PC Clifford stated that the ‘bend could be negotiated quite comfortably’ at the speed he was travelling, he did not believe speed to be a contributing factor in the crash.

Audio captured by the helmet camera showed Pru saying “Oh sh**” before the collision took place.

The driver of the white ford fiesta had been on his way to a car boot sale in Alton with his mother and dog, he compared the collision to an explosion.

 Coroner Wilkinson stated: “The evidence suggests the driver of that vehicle had no opportunity to do anything more than he did to avoid the collision in those split seconds.”

Remember her husband today, Alpa Naik said: “He was just somebody who wanted to right by everyone.

 "It was just the two of us and I would choose him in a thousand lifetimes, in a thousand worlds.My world just turned upside down, it's just about getting through it day-by-day and there are no words that can explain the loss.

"Pru meant so much to me, I do not know my life without him. I have so many wonderful memories I will cherish forever. Pru and I had planned to travel and grow old together.

“Five months on I still pick up the phone to talk to him. When I found out about Pru my whole life was turned upside down. Pru meant so much to me he was an amazing husband, friend and soul mate."

Concluding the inquest, coroner Wilkinson stated: “We’ve heard in the evidence today that Pru was a very popular respected and well thought of man.

“We know that Pru obtained a riders licence approximately 12 years ago and since that time has been and avid collector and rider of motorcycles.

“He was very competent and confident rider and it was his habit to ride out with his friend taking familiar routes within the Hampshire country side.”

He added that whilst it was accepted that Pru was driving in excess of the speed limit at the time of the accident, he was in control of vehicle and speed was not a main contributory factor.

He ended proceedings saying: “The appropriate conclusion is one of accidental death as a result of a road traffic accident.”