Three policemen killed after patrolling van falls into gorge

Three police constables were killed when their patrolling van fell into a gorge at Panwadi ghat near Saswad in Pune district, early on Sunday morning.

Three police constables were killed when their patrolling van fell into a gorge at Panwadi ghat near Saswad in Pune district, early on Sunday morning.

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The policemen, posted at the Saswad police station, were returning from night patrolling when their vehicle fell into the 300-feet deep gorge.

According to Saswad police station officers, the deceased have been identified as Shashikant Nivrutti Raut, 52, resident of Urali Kanchan, Avinash Tukaram Dhole, 22, resident of Vadgaon Nimbalkar and Ulhas Anant Mayekar, 42, resident of Hadapsar.

Police said Dhole, who was driving the vehicle, lost control while negotiating a sharp turn. The accident also led to the van losing contact with the control room.

Locals spotted the damaged van in the gorge in the wee hours of Sunday. They contacted the police, who sent another vehicle to the spot and brought out the bodies.