Nashik: 19-Year-Old Woman Dies After Being Run Over By Tempo In Manmad

Nashik: A series of accidents continues to plague the Indore-Pune highway passing through Manmad city. Another fatal accident occurred on Wednesday when a 19-year-old college student died on the spot after being run over by an Eicher tempo while crossing the road in front of St Barnabas School in the Camp area of Manmad. An eight-year-old boy accompanying her sustained serious injuries and is undergoing treatment at the Sub-District Hospital. Residents of Manmad say the highway has turned into a 'death trap' due to frequent accidents.

The deceased has been identified as Komal Santosh Pagare (19), a resident of Masonkhede in Chandwad taluka. She was the daughter of a manual labourer from Dattache Shingve and had come to Manmad for work. The accident occurred while she was walking along the road with the boy. On Wednesday, Pagare suddenly stepped in front of an Eicher tempo travelling from Pune towards Malegaon. The driver of a container truck nearby applied the brakes immediately and made a desperate attempt to save her. However, controlling the speeding tempo proved difficult.

The impact was so severe that Pagare was dragged for 50 to 60 feet after being run over by the tempo. She died on the spot due to critical injuries. The eight-year-old boy accompanying her was also seriously injured. On realising what had happened, locals rushed to the scene to provide assistance. The injured boy was admitted to the Sub-District Hospital in Manmad for treatment.

Meanwhile, the Manmad police arrived at the scene. The accident caused a traffic jam on the highway. The police restored traffic after conducting the necessary spot panchnama.

High Footfall Due To Schools And Churches

The Indore-Pune highway passing through Manmad city has become a death trap, according to local residents. St Barnabas School is located in the area where the accident occurred, while St Xavier's High School, the railway station and churches are situated nearby. There is constant movement of students and residents in this area. Local residents have demanded that the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) immediately install speed breakers to curb the speed of vehicles passing through the locality.

Traffic Congestion Caused By Heavy Vehicles

With accidents occurring frequently on this route, locals are asking how many more innocent lives will be lost. For the past few months, the Indore-Pune National Highway has also been in the news due to traffic congestion.

A large number of heavy vehicles ply this highway. These vehicles often break down in the middle of the road due to technical problems, while accidents also occur occasionally. Consequently, Manmad residents are forced to face unnecessary traffic jams. There have been persistent demands to ban heavy vehicles from entering Manmad city during the day.