Class 8 student crushed to death by trailer in Palghar

The eyewitness told the police that the accident occurred as the trailer overtook a pickup tempo which was moving towards Boisar and, in the process, hit the children

PALGHAR: A 14-year-old student was crushed by a speeding trailer in Palghar district when he was on his way to school on Friday. The deceased, Nikhil Kaluram Girhane, is a class 8 student of Gramin Shramik Sikshan Vibhag High School at Lalonde village.

Nikhil Kaluram Girhane.

The incident occurred at around 10.30am when Girhane, along with other students, was walking to the school located at Nagzari Naka, which is a few kilometres away from his residence in Chari village.

Sonali Dandekar, a Class 10 student who was also walking with Nikhil, was injured in the accident. She suffered injuries to her shoulder and eye and is being treated in a private hospital, said a police officer.

The eyewitness told the police that the accident occurred as the trailer overtook a pickup tempo which was moving towards Boisar and, in the process, hit the children.

According to the police, there are three Ready Mix Concrete (RMC) plants adjacent to the accident site. Spills from the vehicles carrying RMC to the plants have resulted in the accumulation of mud and dirt on the road.

The mud on the road forces pedestrians to walk on the road instead of the roadside. The students were walking on the dry portion of the road and, that could be the reason behind the accident, said police inspector Satish Shivkar.

After hitting the children, the trailer driver fled, but a few locals apprehended him and handed him to the police. A case has been registered with the Manor Police. District Collector Govind Bodke visited the accident spot and instructed the concerned persons to clean the road to prevent any further accidents.