Deadly collision on Pune-Nashik Highway kills nine people, including 5-year-old kid

A tempo collided with a minivan, which then went on and crashed into a stationary bus killing nine people on the spot, a police official said.

At least nine people, including a 5-year-old child, were killed in a devastating road crash on the Pune-Nashik Highway, a police official said. The incident took place near Narayangaon around 9:30 AM on Friday.

Pune: People gather near the wreckage of a vehicle at the site after a tempo hit a minivan, causing it to ram into a stationary bus on the Pune-Nashik Highway. (PTI)

According to PTI, the tragic accident occurred when a tempo collided with a minivan, which then went on and crashed into a stationary bus.

Police while sharing the details of the tragic road accident said that the tempo struck the minivan from behind pushing the minivan into an empty Maharashtra State Transport (ST) bus that was parked on the side of the road.

The impact of the collision was so strong and deadly that all the nine victims who were present in the minivan at the time died on the spot.

"Eight others sustained minor to moderate injuries and are undergoing treatment. Following the crash, the tempo driver fled the scene. We have registered a case against the unidentified driver of the tempo and bus driver Bhausaheb Jaybhay under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Motor Vehicles Act," a Narayangaon police station official said.

Police identify victims

The deceased were identified as Debubai Takalkar (65), minivan driver Vinod Rokade (50), Yuvraj Wavhal (23), Chandrakant Gunjal (50), Geeta Gaware (45), Bhau Bade (65), Najma Hanif Shaikh (35), Vashifa Inamdar (5), and Manisha Pacharne (56).

Tempo driver on the run

Following the crash, the tempo driver fled the scene, PTI reported. Authorities are currently on the lookout for the tempo driver.

Meanwhile, a case has been registered against the unidentified tempo driver as well as the bus driver identified as Bhausaheb Jaybhay, for dangerously parking the bus.

CM Devendra Fadnavis announces compensation

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis called the incident unfortunate and announced compensation of ₹5 lakh each to the family of the deceased.

Vikram Bhor, sarpanch of Junnar tehsil's Kandali village, from where five of the deceased hailed, said everyone was shocked after hearing about the accident.

"Minivan driver Vinod Rokade used to operate the vehicle locally. Bhau Bade was going to Narayangaon to buy medicines. The deceased Manisha Pacharne was a Zilla Parishad school teacher. Yuvraj Wavhal, a 23-year-old youth from a neighbouring village, was preparing for civil services exams," Bhor said.