Thane: In a tragic accident, at least six people were killed and several others sustained injuries when a speeding container truck collided with a passenger jeep carrying 12 passengers. The incident occurred at approximately 6:30 am on Tuesday, July 18, at the crossing of Khadavli village in Bhiwandi, Thane district.
The collision was so intense that the jeep was thrown into a 60-foot deep gorge.
Local police immediately responded to the scene upon receiving the information, and the incident was reportedly captured on CCTV camera. Following preliminary investigations, the bodies of the deceased were sent for postmortem examination, while the injured were taken to a government hospital for further medical treatment.
Sanjay Sable, senior police inspector at Padgha police station, stated, "The passenger jeep was carrying students and other individuals from Padgha to Khadavli railway station. At around 6:30 am, a container truck loaded with onions from Nashik, approaching from the opposite direction, collided with the jeep. The impact dragged the jeep for approximately 100 meters before it plunged into the gorge, resulting in multiple casualties. Due to heavy rain, the container driver lost control of the heavily loaded vehicle. The accident occurred during heavy rainfall in the Padgha area of Bhiwandi. Four individuals died on the spot, while two passed away on the way to the hospital. We are currently investigating the matter."
The deceased have been identified as Chinmayi Vikas Shinde (15), Riya Kishore Pardeshi, Chaitali Sushant Pimple (27), Santosh Anant Jadhav (50), Vasant Dharma Jadhav (50), and Prajwal Shankar Firke.
The injured individuals, Dilip Kumar Vishwakarma (29), Chetna Ganesh Jase (19), and Kunal Dnyaneshwar Bhamre (22), are receiving treatment at Myra Hospital near Millat Nagar, Bhiwandi. Three others with minor injuries were given first aid and discharged.
Sable added, "We have arrested the container driver and filed a case against him under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
The villagers have been demanding a flyover in the area for several years. They have protested and closed the toll booths three times, but the administration has not taken any steps to construct the flyover. After the accident on Tuesday, the villagers have become agitated once again."
