The family trip to the Narayanpur temple, which ended tragically in a fatal accident on the Navale bridge, has shocked everyone. The five people in the car who died in the crash on the Navale bridge were returning from a visit to a temple in Narayanpur, police said. The five victims belonged to three different families.
A couple and their daughter from Pune’s Dhayari had embarked on the trip with a driver, who was a family friend. A three-year-old girl present in the car was another family friend’s daughter, who lived in Chikhali, police said. They were returning from the temple in Narayanpur when, a few kilometres away from their house, the fatal accident occurred on the Navale bridge.
The deceased have been identified as a car driver, Dhananjay Koli, 30, resident of Chikhali, Swati Santosh Navalkar, 37, of Dhayari Phata, her mother Shanta Dattatraya Dabhade, 54, father Dattatraya Chandrakant Dabhade, 58, and three-year-old Mokshita Hemkumar Reddy, a resident of Chikhali. Moreover, the Truck driver Rustam Rudar Khan (35) and cleaner Mushtaq Hanif Khan (31) also died on the spot after the collision of the vehicles and fire. Rohit Dnyaneshwar Kadam, age 25 years, resident of Loni, Taluka Khandala, District Satara.
Sambhaji Kadam, Deputy Commissioner of Police, said, “The driver, cleaner and owner of the speedy truck (Tahir Nasir Khan ) booked under the culpable homicide, not amounting to murder charges. A case has been registered in Kothrud police station under sections 105, 281, 125 (a)(b), 324 (4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Sections 184, 119/177 of the Motor Vehicle Act, on Friday.”
In the incident, 8 people were burnt to death, and more than 15 people were injured in the Navale bridge road accident. The truck driver, Rustam, was heading from Satara to Mumbai via the Navle Bridge when the incident took place.
As per the initial information, Rustom lists his control due to a brake failure. Due to this, the truck hit multiple vehicles, and in the end, the car caught fire as it had a CNG kit fitted in the car, leading to burn all the victims in the incident. However, the exact cause behind the incident is a part of the investigation.
What the injured victims and their families said
One of the victims, Sohail Ramjuddin Sayyed (20), speaking to Free Press Journal, said, “We went to join the last rituals of one of the relatives and were returning from Patan to Nigdi. We had booked a 22-seater traveller car. In our family, we were 18 in the same car, and among 15, we were injured. Three of them are serious injuries and are under medical treatment.”
“It was a random sound we heard. Before the driver could do anything, it was hit, and our vehicle overturned. We are hoping the administration could help us financially for our medical expenditure and take necessary measures to stop such accidents in future,” he added.
Another victim, Saiyyed Akbar Sayyed (42), who is a resident of Chakan, said, “Our family member is admitted and Yashwant Rao Chavan Medical Hospital. At the time of the incident, instead of helping, most of the people were busy recording the photo and video. We urged the people to understand the sensitivity of the matter. I would not comment on the administration because it is useless.”
What did officials and politicians say after the incident?
Additional Commissioner of Police Manoj Patil, while explaining the reason behind the accidents, said, “From the Katraj tunnel to the Navale bridge, there is a steep slope, and therefore many accidents have occurred on this road earlier as well.”
He further added that the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and the National Highway Authority have been making efforts from time to time, and work is being done to improve this road. It is also true that many accidents have previously taken place in this same area. In several accidents in this vicinity, innocent people have lost their lives.
“Because of the slope, the speed of vehicles suddenly increases, and it becomes difficult to control. We will correspond with the administration regarding repairs to this steep slope, said Patil. He also mentioned that speed breakers, speed guns, and various other measures had been implemented earlier on this road,” he added.
Vikrant Deshmukh, Superintendent of Police, Expressway Traffic Police, speaking to Free Press Journal, said, “Currently, from 7 am to 11 am, the heavy vehicles have been banned from entering the city. However, it was free to move in the evening. But now from 5 pm to 9 pm, heavy vehicles will be standing out old highway and expressway between the toll Plaza and Keshurdi service road or other relevant place.”
Union Minister of State Mohol, after visiting the incident spot, told the media that in 2020 and 2021, many steps had been taken. From Bopdev ghat to Navle bridge, at many places, the speed gun and rumblers have been installed. The puncture of service roads have been closed. The Short-term and long-term measures will be implemented to ensure such incidents do not recur.
“A meeting will be held by tomorrow with the concerned authorities for the short-term measures. The detailed project report (DPR) for the elevated road from Narhe to Ravet via Sutarwadi has been approved, and follow-up will be done with Union Minister Nitin Gadkari to expedite it. However, in Thursday’s unfortunate accident, eight people lost their lives. Therefore, it is necessary to expedite permanent solutions,” said Mohol.
“After the previous accident, meetings were held with Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari in Pune as well as in Delhi. It was then decided to construct a 32-km-long elevated road—from Jambhulwadi to Sutarwadi and from Sutarwadi to Ravet—at an estimated cost of around rupees 6,000 crore. Its DPR has also been approved. Hence, steps will be taken to meet Gadkariji and push for speeding up this long-term measure to prevent further accidents,” Mohol added.
Khadakwasla MLA Bhimrao Tapkir, Pune Municipal Commissioner Naval Kishore Ram, Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar, and National Highways Authority official Sanjay Kadam, among others, were present.
List of injured - Deceased persons
Sofia Amjad Sayyed, age 15 years, student, resident of Rupinagar, Nigdi, Pune.
Ruksana Ibrahim Buran, age 45 years, homemaker,
Bismilla Sayyed, age 38 years, homemaker, resident of Khandoba Mal, Chakan,
Ismail Abbas Buran, age 52 years, labour
Amol Mule, age 46 years, resident of Kalewadi Phata.
Santosh Surve, age 45 years, resident of Bhumkar Nagar, Narhe.
Sayyed Shalima Sayyed
Julekha Amjad Sayyed, age 32 years.
Amjad Sayyed, age 40 years — all residents of Bhakti Shakti Road, Nigdi, Pune.
Satish Waghmare, age 35 years, resident of Shirur Khandad, Nanded.
Sohel Ramanuddin Sayyed, age 20 years, resident of Nikodo, Chakan,
Shamrao Pote, age 79 years, resident of Flat No. 701, Hinjewadi
Ankit Saliyan, age 30 years, resident of Tara West, Ambegaon Budruk
According to the Pune traffic official data
More than 115 people lost their lives, 94were seriously injured, and 53 suffered minor injuries in 257 accidents in four and a half years till October.
According to the Expressway, Highway Police
Pune district information
Total fatal accident
Till Oct 24. : 195
Till Oct 25 : 156
Less than 39 accidents
Total serious accident
Till Oct 24 : 158
Till Oct 25 : 127
Less than 31 accidents
Total cases
Till Oct 24 : 59102
Till Oct 25 :82817
