1 dead, 9 hurt in accident on Mumbai-Pune E-way

According to the police, Shivneri bus driver lost control at Khopoli exit around 10.45 am, after one of its tyres went flat

NAVI MUMBAI: One person died while nine others suffered injuries after two buses collided on Mumbai-Pune Expressway on Wednesday.

Death trap: Mumbai-Pune Expressway (File photo)

According to the police, a Shivneri bus that was carrying seven passengers was on its way to Dadar from Pune. The driver lost control of the bus at Khopoli exit around 10.45 am, after one of its tyres went flat.

“The bus driver lost his control soon after and the bus hit the divider. The vehicle went to the other side of the road and collided with a luxury bus that was on its way to Pune from Ahmedabad,” said a police officer from Khopoli police station.

“Around 10 people from both buses suffered injuries in the accident. They were rushed to Khopoli Municipal Hospital and MGM Hospital at Kamothe. A woman from the luxury bus, who suffered injuries, later died at MGM Hospital,” he added.

The police, however, did not reveal the name of the victim. Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) officials though revealed that Pooja Prahlad Mane, 20, died on the spot. Her father too suffered injuries in the accident.

Mukund Dhus, public relations officer, MSRTC, said, “Two other passengers and the driver of the Shivneri bus, Balaji Salunke, suffered injuries. They are now recuperating at MGM Hospital at Kamothe.”

“We will record statements of both drivers to know if there was any other reason behind the accident. The postmortem of the deceased will be conducted at Panvel Rural Hospital and then it will be handed over to her family,” another police officer said.