Mum-Pune e-way crash: 2-yr-old’s condition critical; driver had swerved car to avoid another vehicle, says police

The condition of the two-year-old boy, Shaan Motiwale, who suffered grievous injures after a car rammed into a crash barrier in Khopoli on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway

The condition of the two-year-old boy, Shaan Motiwale, who suffered grievous injures after a car rammed into a crash barrier in Khopoli on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway on Sunday, is critical, the police said on Tuesday.

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Shaan’s grandfather Motiram, 70, and grandmother Usha, 65, died in the accident on Sunday, after the crash barrier along the road pierced through the left portion of the car into the seats, when the family was returning to their home at Chakala, Andheri, from Pune around 11.38pm.

Investigations into the crash revealed that the driver of the cab, in which Shaan and his family were travelling, had swerved the car to avoid colliding with a vehicle coming from the opposite side. However, he lost control over the car and rammed into a crash barrier along the road. The cab driver, Satara resident Navnath Kale, was arrested after the crash.

“Our inquiry has revealed that the driver was speeding along the road and did not see the crash barrier located at the beginning of the road. A vehicle was coming from the opposite direction, owing to which the driver swerved left and hit the barrier,” said Shrirang Kisave, assistant sub-inspector at Khopoli police station, who is probing the case.

Shaan’s mother Mohini and sister, 12-year-old Khushi suffered fractures in their legs and were operated upon on Monday.

Shaan however, sustained far more grievous injuries. He suffered a skull fracture, fractures on his legs and brain haemorrhage, said Kisave. Shaan continues to remain unconscious and the doctors at the MGM Hospital in Vashi will decide on performing another surgery on him, depending on how he responds to the treatment.

Motiwale’s daughter Kiran Gursund was also travelling with them, but was unhurt in the accident.

Kale works for an app-based aggregator since 2017. He was not drunk during the time of accident, the police said.