Daijiworld Media Network – Pune

Pune, Nov 11: In a tragic mishap on the sacred Kartiki Ekadashi pilgrimage route, a woman pilgrim lost her life and eight others sustained serious injuries when a speeding container truck rammed into a group of Warkaris near Kamshet Ghat on Tuesday.

The victims were part of the Shri Davji Patil Dindi from Uran, which was on its way to Alandi for the Kartiki Wari. The accident occurred when the container, descending the ghat, lost control and crashed directly into the Dindi procession.

The deceased has been identified as Kamanzula Tandel, a resident of Karal village in Uran taluk. The injured pilgrims were immediately rushed to Mahavir Hospital, where they are undergoing treatment.

Local residents and police rushed to the spot soon after receiving information about the accident. Eyewitnesses described the scene as “heart-wrenching,” with many pilgrims thrown off the road by the impact.

Notably, a similar accident had occurred at the same ghat three years ago when a Bolero vehicle had collided with another Dindi. Despite repeated appeals from local citizens and religious groups for better safety measures, the stretch remains accident-prone.

Outraged by the tragedy, Warkaris and villagers have staged a roadblock protest at Kamshet Ghat, demanding immediate action from the administration to ensure the safety of pilgrims. Community leaders have called the incident a “failure of the system” and urged authorities to strengthen traffic regulation and emergency response during the Wari.

Meanwhile, in a separate incident in Alibaug, a massive fire broke out at the residence of the Ranade family near Shivalkar Naka in the early hours of Tuesday. Preliminary reports suggest that a short circuit may have triggered the blaze, according to police and fire officials. The fire occurred between 3 am and 4 am, and firefighting teams managed to bring it under control after an intense operation.

Both incidents have left residents in shock, with appeals rising for stricter safety and preventive measures to protect lives during such critical times.