25 injured in 3-vehicle pile-up near Kasara, 7 critical

The van driver reportedly failed to gauge the truck’s speed and crashed into it. Moments later, a car following the pickup van rammed into it from behind, resulting in a three-vehicle pile-up

THANE: A major road accident on Friday evening involving a truck, a pickup van and a car on the Mumbai-Nashik highway left 25 people injured, seven of whom are in a critical state. The accident happened near Ohalachiwadi village, and the Kasara police, under whose jurisdiction the village comes, have booked the van driver for negligent driving.

25 injured in 3-vehicle pile-up near Kasara, 7 critical

According to police sources, the incident occurred when the van, which was carrying villagers returning from a post-funeral ritual in Dolkhamb to their village Taked, collided with a truck ahead of it. The van driver reportedly failed to gauge the truck’s speed and crashed into it. Moments later, a car following the pickup van rammed into it from behind, resulting in a three-vehicle pile-up.

In all, 25 people travelling in the pickup van were injured in the accident, with seven of them—four women and three men—suffering severe injuries. Emergency teams swiftly responded to the incident. Members of the local disaster management team—Bhaskar Sadgir, Datta Watade, Shyam Dhumal, Akshay Ladke, Satish Khare and Sunil Karwar—helped shift the injured to Kasara Primary Health Centre using ambulances from the centre, private vehicles and vehicles owned by the highway toll company.

Dr Ashu Shukla, the attending medical officer at the primary health centre, confirmed that seven people were critically injured, and stabilised and transferred to SMBT Hospital, Igatpuri, for advanced care. “We ensured that the critical patients received immediate treatment during the golden hour. Our entire team responded promptly,” Dr Shukla stated.

Sangita Dumbre, 45, one of the passengers in the pick-up van, who was receiving treatment for a fractured arm, said the scene was “complete chaos”. “People were screaming, and I couldn’t move my leg at first,” she said. “We were sitting at the back. I never thought our journey would turn into a nightmare.” Nitin Bhoir, 30, who was also seated at the back, sustained minor head injuries when he was thrown forward by the impact of the crash. “I still feel dizzy, but I’m grateful to be alive,” he said.

The passengers in the car escaped with minor injuries due to airbags, said officials. Two of them, along with the truck driver, were treated for minor injuries and discharged.

The Kasara police have registered a case against the van driver for negligent driving under the relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Samhita. Inspector Suresh Gavit, who is overseeing the investigation, said, “Initial findings suggest that the driver failed to maintain a safe distance and misjudged the speed of the truck. A case has been filed, and further inquiries are on to determine all the factors contributing to the crash.”

The authorities are also examining road conditions and visibility factors at the accident site.