Navi Mumbai Tragedy: 22-Year-Old Dancer Killed, 10 Injured As Speeding Car Rams Into Scooters On Sion-Panvel Highway; Driver Absconding

Navi Mumbai: A 22-year-old man was killed and 10 others were injured after a speeding car rammed into six scooters carrying members of a dance group from Dharavi in the early hours of Wednesday. The incident took place on the Hiranandani flyover along the Sion-Panvel highway in Kharghar. The car driver fled the scene and a manhunt has been launched by Kharghar Police.

The deceased has been identified as Manav Yellappa Kunchikorave (22). The injured include Subhan Sheikh (20), Sameer Mohammad (20), Istiyak Ansari (21), Naveen Rava (23), Mahesh Gadde (25), Sanket Singh (20), Sagar Devalla (23), Sahil Kunchikorave (21), Mukul alias Lucky Koli (22), and Ashishkumar Shahu (23). All are residents of Dharavi and work as professional dancers in the same group.

The group had decided to travel to Lonavala late Tuesday night and left Dharavi around 3 AM on six two-wheelers. At approximately 4:45 AM, while crossing the Hiranandani flyover in Kharghar, a white Fiat Linea Emotion, travelling at high speed from Mumbai towards Pune, crashed into the scooters.

The car first hit Manav Kunchikorave’s vehicle, throwing him off the flyover. It then struck Sagar Devalla’s scooter, dragging him along the flyover before hitting others in the group. With one scooter stuck under the vehicle, the driver abandoned the car at the spot and fled on foot.

Kharghar Police responded to the scene and rushed the injured to MGM Hospital in Kamothe. Doctors declared Manav Kunchikorave dead on arrival. One of the injured is said to be in critical condition.

"The car involved in the accident has been seized. Efforts are on to trace the absconding driver," confirmed a senior official from Kharghar Police Station.

"The driver has been traced and has been identified as Vaibhav Chandrakant Dhere (24) a resident of Pimpri Chinchwad and further process is underway," said the senior inspector, Ajay Kamble.