Navi Mumbai: A 44-year-old man was killed in the early hours of Tuesday after a pick-up tempo rammed into a stationary bus near the Bhatan Tunnel on the Pune-Mumbai Expressway.
The victim, Anil Nashram Pawar, a resident of Kokisare in Patan, was crushed between the bus and a speeding tempo while inspecting a flat tire on the halted bus. The sequence of events began when a pedestrian suddenly came across the expressway, forcing the private bus traveling from Patan to Badlapur to brake abruptly.
“The sudden crossing by a pedestrian — in a no-pedestrian zone — led to the bus’s rear tyres bursting due to the sharp brake,” said an officer from Rasayani police station, where the case has been registered. “The driver pulled over to the roadside, and while the cleaner was replacing the tires, Pawar stepped out to see what was happening.”
At that moment, a pickup tempo (MH-46 CL 2496), allegedly driven rashly, crashed into the rear of the stationary bus. Pawar was caught in the impact and sustained fatal injuries to his lower body.
"He was crushed between the two vehicles. He suffered massive injuries to his waist and legs and died on the spot," the officer added.
The police have held both the reckless pedestrian and the tempo driver responsible for the incident. An FIR has been filed under multiple sections of the Motor Vehicles Act and BNS.
“This fatality could have been avoided if basic road safety rules had been followed. Crossing high-speed corridors like the Expressway is illegal and extremely dangerous,” the officer said.
Police are continuing their investigation and have urged commuters and pedestrians alike to strictly adhere to safety norms to prevent further tragedies.
