Maharashtra News: 3 Youth Killed After Car Plunges 40 Feet Off Mumbai-Nashik Highway Near Kasara; Probe Underway

Thane: The bodies of three individuals were found in a mangled car in Umbarmali village, under the jurisdiction of the Kasara police station, on Thursday. Locals alerted the authorities after spotting the vehicle, which had fallen into bushes.

The Kasara police promptly reached the spot, retrieved the bodies, and sent them to a hospital. The incident occurred on the Mumbai-Nashik Highway near Umbarmali village in Kasara.

Police identified the deceased as Yagyesh Waghela (27), a resident of Khar; Pravin Kumar Singh (27), a resident of Powai; and Rajboli Mulla Shaikh (29), a resident of Kurla.

According to police, on June 2, the three had set out in a car from Mumbai in the evening, heading to Trimbakeshwar in Nashik for darshan. They reportedly stopped on the highway for dinner before continuing their journey. It is suspected that the car lost control and allegedly collided with two to three trees before falling approximately 40 feet off the road.

The incident came to light on Thursday evening when a local woman grazing her cattle noticed a foul smell coming from a damaged vehicle hidden in the bushes. Upon approaching, she discovered three decomposed bodies inside.

She immediately alerted the villagers, who informed the Kasara police. Officers responded swiftly, calling in an ambulance and rescue team. The bodies were recovered and sent to a nearby hospital in Kasara.

Police said that missing person reports had been filed for all three individuals at separate police stations by their respective families after their phones were not reachable despite repeated attempts.

Suresh Gavit, Senior Police Inspector at Kasara Police Station, said, “We received information on Thursday at 3 PM and reached the location. We initially attempted to remove the vehicle using a crane but were unsuccessful. Later, a hydra crane was called, and the car was recovered by 6:30 PM. The bodies were sent to the Primary Health Center in Kasara for post-mortem, and they were handed over to the families on Friday for final rites. Preliminary investigation suggests the vehicle was being driven recklessly, lost control, and fell from a height of 40 feet. At the scene, we also observed that two to three trees were damaged."

Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Milind Shinde told The Free Press Journal that the accident occurred at a sharp curve and the car was being driven at high speed. The Kasara police have registered a case of accidental death, and further investigation is underway.