Thane : Two persons were killed and a woman sustained grievous injuries after a speeding Maruti Ertiga rammed into a stationary truck that had broken down on the Mumbai-Nagpur Samruddhi Expressway in the early hours of Thursday highlighting yet again the dangers faced by motorists and roadside personnel on high-speed corridors.
The accident took place at around 3.15 am on August 6 near Chainage 691.4 in the Shahapur stretch of the expressway.
According to police, an 18-wheel truck (MP-09-ZP-3380) suffered a mechanical breakdown and came to a halt on the expressway. The truck driver, Jogender Baghel along with his cleaner, Dabbu (18) got down to inspect the vehicle. While the cleaner was standing behind the truck with a torch to alert approaching motorists, a Maruti Ertiga ( MH-12-FV-8214) travelling at speed crashed into the rear of the stranded vehicle.
The impact was so severe that Harish Tandon (40), the driver of the Ertiga, and Dabbu, the truck cleaner died on the spot. Their bodies were later sent for post-mortem examination.
A woman travelling in the Ertiga, identified as Kanchan Sonawane sustained serious injuries in the collision. She was shifted to Indira Gandhi Memorial (IGM) Sub-District Hospital in Bhiwandi where she is undergoing treatment. The truck driver Jogender Baghel, escaped the accident without injuries.
Police said they received information about the accident shortly after it occurred, following which a rescue team led by Assistant Police Inspector Kamble and Assistant Sub-Inspector Katkar along with personnel from the Titwala Police, Maharashtra Security Force (MSF) and the Road Patrol Vehicle (RPV) unit reached the spot at around 3.37 am.
Ambulances from Amane and Khutghar were deployed for rescue and evacuation operations. The damaged truck and car were later shifted to the parking lane with the help of a hydra crane, while barricades were erected to secure the accident site and ensure smooth movement of traffic on the expressway.
An Accidental Death Report (ADR) has been registered at Titwala Police Station and further legal formalities, including post-mortem procedures, are being carried out. Police are investigating the exact circumstances leading to the crash.
The accident once again underlines the extreme risks associated with stranded vehicles on high-speed expressways. Authorities have urged motorists to remain vigilant, maintain safe speeds during night-time travel and exercise utmost caution while approaching stationary vehicles, especially in low-visibility conditions.
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