73-year-old social activist dies in hit-and-run in Thane

Agashe is survived by her husband, two sons—including PTI journalist Ashish Agashe—two daughters-in-law, and a grandson. Her untimely demise has left a void in the community, but her legacy of compassion and selfless service will continue to inspire many

THANE: In a tragic incident, renowned social activist Pushpashree Agashe, 73, lost her life in a hit-and-run accident near Teen Hath Naka in Thane on Thursday morning. Agashe, who had been a resident of the Roshni Building in Teen Hath Naka, was returning home after fetching milk around 7:00 am when a speeding vehicle struck her. The vehicle, believed to be a large one travelling from Mumbai to Nashik, fled the scene.

Agashe, who dedicated her life to social work, had retired after 28 years of service with the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), where she was recognised with the Best Employee Award in 2008. Since 1981, she and her husband, Shreepad Agashe, had been ardent advocates for eye donation and later expanded their efforts to promote organ, skin, and body donation. (Praful Gangurde /HT Photo)

A passerby rushed Agashe to the Thane Civil Hospital. However, due to the severity of her injuries, she was referred to Sion Hospital in Mumbai, where she was declared dead on arrival. “We are analysing CCTV footage from multiple angles to identify the vehicle and apprehend the accused driver,” a police official said. The Naupada police have registered a case against the unidentified driver under section 106(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for causing death by rash and negligent driving.

Agashe, who dedicated her life to social work, had retired after 28 years of service with the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), where she was recognised with the Best Employee Award in 2008. Since 1981, she and her husband, Shreepad Agashe, had been ardent advocates for eye donation and later expanded their efforts to promote organ, skin, and body donation.

In a fitting tribute to her life’s work, Agashe’s eyes were successfully donated with assistance from doctors at Sahiyara Eye Bank, located at the Thane Civil Hospital. Her commitment to the cause of donation was deeply personal, and her family’s decision underscored her lifelong values.

Post-retirement, Agashe immersed herself in aiding blind students, promoting environmental causes such as reducing plastic waste, and supporting abandoned children. She was also an active member of the widely successful “Dhanya Bank” initiative, which provides food grains to underprivileged families.

Her multifaceted contributions extended to the arts as well. Agashe portrayed the role of Sadhana Amte in Samruddhi Pore’s film “Prakash Vaata,” featuring Nana Patekar in the lead role. Despite her busy schedule, she recently collected books to distribute to underprivileged children, a testament to her unwavering dedication to social upliftment.

Agashe is survived by her husband, two sons—including PTI journalist Ashish Agashe—two daughters-in-law, and a grandson. Her untimely demise has left a void in the community, but her legacy of compassion and selfless service will continue to inspire many.

The police urge anyone with information about the vehicle involved in the accident to come forward. Investigations are ongoing.