Daijiworld Media Network - Kolhapur
Kolhapur, Jan 19: Five people lost their lives and a woman sustained injuries after a speeding car travelling from Panvel in Raigad district to Akkalkot in Solapur met with a horrific accident late Saturday night. The incident occurred around 11.30 pm near Devdi Phata, about 15 kilometres from Mohol town on the Pune–Solapur highway.
According to Mohol police, the driver lost control of the multi-utility vehicle, causing it to veer off the road and slam into a roadside tree. The vehicle then overturned multiple times before coming to a halt several metres away. The force of the impact was so severe that the car was completely crushed.
Police identified the deceased as Mala Salave (40) of Sector 18, New Panvel; Archana Bhandare (47) from Sector 7, Panvel West; Vishal Bhosale (41) of Railway Colony near Panvel station; Amar Patil of Kharghar; and Ananda Mali, whose address is yet to be confirmed. The sole survivor, Jyoti Takle, also a resident of Sector 7 in Panvel, was rushed to the Civil Hospital in Mohol, where she is undergoing treatment.
Doctors declared the five others dead on arrival at the hospital. Police said Takle is now out of danger and has provided crucial details about the accident.
“Preliminary information suggests the vehicle was being driven at a very high speed, close to 100 km per hour, when the driver lost control,” said head constable Atul Kshirsagar, who is leading the investigation. He added that the group had started their journey from Panvel around 2.30 pm and had planned to reach Akkalkot early Sunday morning. At the time of the accident, their destination was still about 100 kilometres away.
Investigators said all the occupants were close friends. Takle told police that Amar Patil had arranged the vehicle from a relative and was driving at the time of the crash. The group had reportedly taken a short break during the journey before resuming travel late in the evening.
Rescue teams had to use metal cutters to extricate the victims, as the vehicle was badly mangled and the passengers were trapped inside. Postmortem examinations have been completed for two of the deceased, and their bodies will be handed over to relatives for last rites, police said.