BMC officer’s wife dies in Kasara Ghat accident; 1 seriously injured

A 45-year-old woman died and her relative was injured in a crash on Mumbai-Nashik Highway. The driver lost control after being hit by an unidentified vehicle.

THANE: A 45-year-old woman died and her family member was injured after the car they were in was hit by an unidentified vehicle on the Mumbai-Nashik Highway near Kasara Ghat on Saturday. Police said the driver lost control of the car after being hit by a vehicle which was overtaking them.

BMC officer’s wife dies in Kasara Ghat accident; 1 seriously injured

The deceased was identified as Rajshri Prashant Gayakwad, 45, a resident of Navi Mumbai and wife of BMC Deputy Commissioner Prashant Gayakwad. Police said she was not wearing a seatbelt and was thrown out of the vehicle. She suffered fatal head injuries after hitting a stone. Her relative, Manoj Shiledar, 40, got his leg stuck under the seat and his head too hit a rock. He was rushed to the Shahapur Rural hospital and is in critical condition. The driver escaped with minor injuries. The three were returning to Mumbai from Nashik when the accident took place.

Shyam Dhumar, a villager, was among the first to reach the spot. “We heard the crash and ran to help. The car fell into a small hollow on the side of the hill. We pulled out the injured man with some difficulty, his leg was stuck under the car seat. The woman was unresponsive,” he said.

The stretch of the Kasara Ghat has steep turns and narrow roads, making is accident prone. Dhumar said this was the 15th fatal accident the villagers have witnessed in this spot in the last six months. “The turns are sharp and dangerous, especially for drivers unfamiliar with the terrain.”

Inspector Vijay Patil of Kasara police station said, “Preliminary investigation suggests the car lost control after being hit. Then it went off the road and got trapped in a shallow pit. We are checking CCTV footage and gathering eyewitness statements to trace the unknown vehicle.”

The Kasara and highway police teams have launched an investigation. A highway traffic police official said they were considering adding more signage and protective barriers along the stretch to prevent further mishaps.