Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday expressed grief over the tragic accident in Raigad district’s Ambenali Ghat, where eight persons lost their lives after an SUV plunged into a deep gorge.
Calling the incident “extremely heartbreaking”, Fadnavis said the state government was closely monitoring rescue and recovery efforts being carried out in the difficult terrain. In a post on X, the Chief Minister paid tribute to the deceased and extended condolences to their families.
According to Fadnavis, the group of eight friends was travelling when their vehicle reportedly plunged nearly 1,500 feet into the valley. He stated that rescue operations had been launched immediately, with multiple teams deployed by the district administration along with assistance from the National Disaster Response Force and local volunteers.
Rescue Operations Underway
The accident occurred in the Ambenali Ghat section on the Poladpur, Mahabaleshwar route between 5 am and 6 am on Sunday. Police said the victims were travelling from Dapoli towards Satara when the driver allegedly lost control of the vehicle in the ghat section.
The SUV was located nearly 800 feet deep inside the gorge on Monday morning after relatives alerted authorities when the group failed to reach Satara. Investigators traced the victims’ last mobile location near Poladpur before launching an extensive search operation.
Police identified the deceased as Ritesh Lokhande, Suhas Lokhande, Utkarsh Shingte, Nikhil Shingte, Mahesh Pawar, Aditya Salunkhe, Rajesh Katkar and Ansh Chavan. While one victim belonged to Ratnagiri district, the remaining seven were residents of Satara.
Leaders Express Grief
Maharashtra Deputy Chairperson Sunetra Pawar also expressed sorrow over the tragedy, while additionally referring to another fatal accident on the Mumbai, Agra highway in Dhule district that claimed six lives and injured several others.
Governor Jishnu Dev Varma described the incident as deeply saddening and prayed for strength for the bereaved families.
State minister Nitesh Rane said the crash was heartbreaking and praised rescue teams working in challenging conditions.
Meanwhile, BJP Maharashtra president Ravindra Chavan said the party stood firmly with the affected families during the difficult time.
