Pune: Two people were killed and several others were injured after a private traveller bus carrying tourists from Mumbai plunged into a deep valley in the Pabe Ghat area of Rajgad taluka late on Saturday night.
The bus was carrying around 20 passengers from Andheri (East), Mumbai, who were travelling to Rajgad Fort. According to police, the accident took place while the vehicle was descending the rain-soaked ghat road. The driver allegedly lost control after the road became slippery due to heavy rainfall. The bus fell into a deep valley and overturned multiple times.
The impact left the vehicle badly damaged and several passengers trapped inside. Rescue teams rushed to the spot after receiving information about the accident.
Personnel from the Haveli Disaster Management team, Velhe police, and local villagers carried out a rescue operation throughout the night despite heavy rain, darkness and difficult terrain. All the injured passengers were safely pulled out and shifted to a government hospital for treatment.
Police identified one of the deceased as Vishwas Baburao Dhatia (25), a resident of Nehru Nagar in Vile Parle, Mumbai. A young woman also died in the accident. Her identity has not yet been disclosed.
The injured passengers are undergoing treatment at different hospitals. The driver, Sandeep Tukaram Gaikwad (47), also sustained injuries to his hands and other parts of his body and is receiving medical treatment.
Members of the Haveli Disaster Management team, including Tanaji Bhosale, Ganesh Sapkal, Sandeep Solaskar and Krishna Margale, took part in the rescue operation. Police personnel from Velhe Police Station, including Akash Patil and Pankaj Moghe, also assisted in rescuing the passengers.
An accident case has been registered at Velhe Police Station, and further investigation is underway. The administration has urged motorists to drive carefully and maintain a safe speed while travelling on ghat roads during the monsoon.
