4 killed, 2 seriously injured as towing van rams into SUV on Mumbai-Goa highway

A van towing a high-end car rammed Into a stationed SUV on the Mumbai-Goa highway, causing death of four people and leaving two others grievously injured

NAVI MUMBAI: A van towing a high-end car rammed Into a stationed SUV on the Mumbai-Goa highway, causing death of four people and leaving two others grievously injured.

The accident occurred in the early hours of Friday close to Veer railway station in Raigad district. (HT)

The accident occurred in the early hours of Friday close to Veer railway station in Raigad district.

According to police, the driver of the towing van, identified as Suyog Sahastrabudhe, 29, has been arrested by Mahad Taluka police for rash and reckless driving.

The accident occurred while he was towing the high-end car from Chiplun to Panvel. The SUV that the van crashed into had eight passengers, all from Mahad taluka.

The four deceased have been identified as Suryakant Sakharam More, 27, from Nave Nagar, Sahil alias Ritik Nathuram Shelar, 25, from Kumbharli, Prashant Natekar, 25, from Navenagar and Sameer Sudhir Minde, 35, from Das Gaon.

The grievously injured have been identified as Shubham Rajendra Matal, 27, from Shirgaon and Suraj Ashok Nalawade, 34, from Chambharkhind.

“A group of eight friends had casually decided to travel to Lonere village. However, the vehicle ran out of fuel midway and was parked near a railway overbridge when the crash occurred,” said police inspector Santosh Jadhav of Mahad taluka police station.

Two passengers escaped the crash as one of them had gone to get diesel while another had stepped out to speak on the phone.

“Six were seated inside when the towing van in high speed rammed into the SUV. The impact of the collision was so strong that the SUV was thrown away and the front portion of the towing man got mangled. The entire incident was witnessed by the friend attending a phone call, identified as Arya Mahadkar, 19,” said additional superintendent of police of Raigad, Abhijeet Shivthare.

Of the two injured, the condition of Nalawade is reported to be serious and he is currently undergoing treatment at MGM Hospital in Kamothe.