Two people lost their lives in an accident early on Saturday when a speeding container collided with a private bus, a tempo, and a car at Pune's Jambhulwadi-Dari Pul.
The incident occurred around 3:56am when the container, heading towards Satara, lost its course and crashed into three vehicles that were on their way to Mumbai at the Dari Pul. Upon receiving information about the accident, teams from the Pune and Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMDRA) fire brigade, as well as the Pune city police, rushed to the scene.
Firefighters extracted two individuals who were trapped inside the severely damaged vehicles, which included the container's driver. Both were rushed to a hospital, but they were pronounced dead by the doctors. The victims have been identified as Vishal Kumar Navik (22), who was the container driver, and Shahnawaz Zulfiqar Munshi (30), the tempo driver.
A police inspector from the Bharati Vidyapeeth Police Station informed The Free Press Journal, "Among the six individuals who were admitted to the hospital, the drivers of the container and tempo have passed away. Three others are currently receiving medical treatment, while one has been discharged. The road has been cleared, and normal traffic has resumed." The injured individuals have been identified as Jiyalal Nishad, the second driver in the container, and Subhash Indalkar and Pooja Bagal, who were passengers on the bus.
Eyewitnesses recounted the horrifying scene of the accident to The FPJ. One described the moment he heard a deafening crash, prompting him to rush to the bridge. "There, I saw a distressing sight: a luxury bus, tempo, and car all entangled in a chaotic and horrifying wreck. Despite the swift arrival of emergency services, the situation appeared dire," he said.
Another eyewitness emphasised the terrifying sound of the collision, which abruptly woke them from sleep. "Peering outside, I saw a heart-wrenching view of the wreckage on Dari Pul. The sudden and tragic nature of the event left me deeply saddened, especially considering the potential loss of lives," he added.