Three persons died while two others were injured after a liquid propylene tanker jumped the divider and hit two cars coming from the opposite direction near the Khopoli exit along the Mumbai Pune expressway. While three persons died on the spot, two others were admitted to Pune and Navi Mumbai hospitals.
According to police, the driver of the tanker lost control over the vehicle, crossed the divider, and hit two cars coming from the opposite direction.
FPJ
Police sub-inspector Haresh Kaleshkar from Khopoli police station said the tanker was going towards Mumbai from Pune while the deceased’s car was going towards Pune when the accident took place at around 9.30 am. “As per the initial investigation, the tanker was running at a high speed and the driver seemed to have lost control over the vehicle and crossed the divider,” said Kaleshkar, adding that the accident took place near the Khopoli exit along the Mumbai-Pune expressway. “The tanker dragged to some distance before hitting the two cars,” he added.
FPJ
The deceased were identified as Sagar Janardan Pande, 51, a resident of Pune, Yogesh Dharmdev Singh, 47, a resident of Chikhle in Pune, and Mohammed Rauf, 35, a resident of Wadala in Mumbai. Rauf was driving the car. Police said that the tanker driver has been identified as Satyendra Tiwari, a native of Uttar Pradesh.
While all three persons in a car that met with the accident died on the spot, another person in another car received a minor injury and he has been admitted to MGM Hospital in Kamothe, said police. The tanker driver has also received an injury and he has been admitted to Lokmanya Tilak Hospital in Pune.
FPJ
A case has been registered at Khopoli police station against the driver of the tanker under relevant sections of the Motor Vehicle Act and IPC. Meanwhile, the traffic came to a standstill for around half an hour after the accident. Police and local NGOs reached the spot and cleared the road for traffic.
