Second tanker tragedy in 48 hours: Woman killed in Wanowrie

The victim, Garcia Daniel, was riding her two-wheeler (MH 12 YK 2523) to work in Nanded City when a speeding water tanker (MH 04 FD 9800), owned by Katke Water Suppliers, collided with her vehicle near the bridge after Raheja Gardens, close to Ganga Satellite.

PUNE: A woman was killed after being hit by a water tanker in Wanowrie on Tuesday morning, marking the second fatal tanker accident in the city within 48 hours and sparking outrage over the unchecked movement of heavy vehicles in residential areas.

Second tanker tragedy in 48 hours: Woman killed in Wanowrie

The victim, Garcia Daniel, was riding her two-wheeler (MH 12 YK 2523) to work in Nanded City when a speeding water tanker (MH 04 FD 9800), owned by Katke Water Suppliers, collided with her vehicle near the bridge after Raheja Gardens, close to Ganga Satellite. She was rushed to a nearby hospital but succumbed to her injuries around 9 am.

The tanker driver, Santoshkumar Indradev Maurya (45), a resident of Netajinagar, has been arrested and booked under sections 106(1) and 281 of the BNS, along with Sections 184, 119, and 177 of the Motor Vehicle Act. Investigating officer PSI Sarika Shirke said, “The accused presented himself at the police chowki and has been taken into custody. Further investigation is ongoing.”

Preliminary findings indicate Daniel was run over by the tanker’s front left wheel.

The FIR was lodged by Daniel’s mother, Geeta Daniel, who said she was informed of the accident early in the morning by a family acquaintance. Daniel’s father works as an engineer in Chennai, and she has a younger sister.

On April 5, Aariz Shaikh, a class 12 student of Bishop’s School camp, lost his life in a similar accident near Siddheshwar Temple in the Mohammadwadi-NIBM Annexe area.

These back-to-back incidents have intensified public outrage, with citizens questioning the movement of heavy water tankers during peak hours in densely populated areas. Residents allege that reckless driving, lax enforcement, and poor regulation of tanker operators are putting lives at risk daily.

“Tankers are moving at high speed through residential roads during peak hours. Unless authorities act immediately, more lives will be lost,” a resident said.

Citizen forums and housing societies across Pune are demanding strict regulation of tanker movement, including restricting operations to nighttime hours. They argue that limiting tankers to late-night or early-morning windows, when traffic is minimal, could reduce accident risks. Activists also call for mandatory GPS tracking, stricter licensing norms, and designated tanker routes. Citizen forums, guided by former Chief Commissioner of Income Tax Akramul Jabbar Khan, have petitioned PMC Commissioner Naval Kishore Ram for a crackdown on overspeeding water tankers and nighttime-only operations.

Prominent civil rights activist Jaymala Dhankikar said, “With mounting pressure from the public, authorities are expected to review existing policies and consider tighter controls on tanker operations to prevent further loss of life. We demand hefty compensation for the next of kin of the deceased and, at the same time, strong legal action against the water tanker mafia of both areas.”

Police confirmed that further investigation into the Wanowrie accident is underway.