Beed: A family's Diwali celebrations turned into an unimaginable tragedy after two farmer brothers and their 10-year-old granddaughter were killed when a speeding car rammed their motorcycle from behind on the Ahilyanagar-Solapur highway near Bambulgaon in Karjat tehsil of Ahilyanagar district on Saturday around 7pm. This was confirmed by Vijay Zanjad, Assistant Police Inspector of Mirajgaon police station in Karjat tehsil.
The police identified the victims as Sudam Maruti Padole (57), his brother Devidas Maruti Padole (55), and Shreya Padole (10), all residents of Kelsangvi village in Ashti tehsil.
According to family sources, the two brothers had decided to sell the cotton they had harvested despite difficult drought conditions to arrange money for Diwali celebrations. They loaded the cotton bales into a goods auto-rickshaw and sent it towards Mirajgaon market in Karjat tehsil for sale.
Meanwhile, Sudam set out on his motorcycle with his granddaughter Shreya, intending to buy her new clothes and firecrackers for Diwali. His brother Devidas was also travelling with them on the two-wheeler.
When they reached near the Bambulgaon crossroads, a speeding car approaching from behind on the Ahilyanagar-Solapur highway rammed into their motorcycle with tremendous force. The impact was so severe that the motorcycle was completely mangled, throwing all three occupants onto the road. They sustained critical injuries and died on the spot.
The car driver reportedly fled the scene after the accident. However, the police said that the driver was arrested on Sunday. Shreya had lost her father, Vishal, a few years ago. She was his only daughter, and her grandfather Sudam had been looking after her ever since.
The little girl had reportedly expressed her wish to have new clothes and firecrackers for Diwali. Sudam had planned to fulfil her wishes with the money earned from selling the cotton crop. However, the family's hopes were shattered by the fatal accident.
News of the deaths reached Kelsangvi on Saturday night, plunging the entire village into grief. With three members of the same family losing their lives in the accident, the atmosphere of Diwali festivities gave way to mourning. Villagers said that no household even lit its cooking stove following the tragedy.
The last rites of all three victims were performed together on Sunday afternoon amid an atmosphere of deep sorrow. Villagers have demanded stringent action against reckless and speeding motorists to prevent such tragedies on highways.
