Navi Mumbai: An unfortunate incident unfolded on Wednesday night near Creek Bridge in Vadghar, Karanjade, Panvel, where an 18-year-old girl, Prachi Wankhede, riding pillion on a motorbike, lost her life in a collision with a tanker. The Panvel City police have initiated legal action against the tanker driver, registering a case of rash driving causing death and launching a search for the driver.
Prachi Wankhede, a resident of Vinayak Aangan in Sector 5A, Karanjade, was the victim in this tragic incident. The mishap occurred at approximately 9:30 pm on September 20 as Prachi was en route to Karanjade with Aniket Thakur, a 17-year-old photographer residing in Jui Nagar.
The incident was brought to light by Police Beat Marshal Nazir Pathan, who was returning to Karanjade police chowky after completing his duty that night. Upon reaching Vadghar Creek Bridge, he observed an overspeeding water tanker colliding with the motorbike. Tragically, the collision caused Prachi to fall from the bike and come into contact with the tanker's wheel, resulting in severe head injuries.
Promptly, nearby individuals rushed to the scene and moved the injured girl to the roadside, where she was found to be bleeding profusely. An ambulance was immediately summoned, and Prachi was transported to the Sub-District Hospital in Panvel. Regrettably, she was declared deceased upon arrival at the hospital.
Shockingly, the tanker driver callously failed to stop the vehicle and offer any medical assistance to the injured victim before fleeing the scene. Authorities have taken action by registering a case against the unidentified tanker driver under sections 279 and 304 A of the IPC, as well as sections 134 A and 134 of the Motor Vehicle Act.
Local residents played a crucial role by noting down the registration number of the tanker, which has prompted a diligent manhunt for the driver.
In the midst of these events, residents of Karanjade have voiced concerns, alleging that the area is susceptible to similar incidents due to the influence of the tanker mafia. They emphasized the persistent water scarcity in the node, forcing residents to rely on water tankers, which unfortunately leads to reckless driving by tanker drivers. One resident commented, "Reckless driving by tanker drivers has become a commonplace occurrence."
