Tragic Dawn Accident Claims Two Lives on Pune-Mumbai Expressway
A devastating collision between two heavy vehicles near the Urse toll plaza on the Pune-Mumbai expressway resulted in two fatalities in the early hours of Saturday. The incident occurred around 4 am when a truck crashed into the rear of a trailer truck, leading to catastrophic consequences for both vehicles' occupants.
Victims Identified from Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu
The Shirgaon police have confirmed the identities of the deceased. The trailer truck driver was Pawan Upadhyay, a 30-year-old resident of Sultanpur in Uttar Pradesh. The second victim was Sarasandhiran Govindswami, aged 24, from Dharmapuri in Tamil Nadu, who worked as a cleaner on the other truck involved in the accident.
Metal Cargo Proves Fatal in Collision Impact
According to Sub-inspector Naid Shaikh of the Shirgaon police, both vehicles were transporting metal materials at the time of the accident. The initial investigation suggests that the truck driver may have dozed off at the wheel, causing him to crash into the trailer truck ahead.
The impact of the collision had devastating consequences. The metal objects loaded on the trailer truck slid forward with tremendous force, breaking into the vehicle's cabin and striking driver Pawan Upadhyay. Tragically, he was trapped inside and died on the spot.
Simultaneously, some of the metal parts from the collision struck the cabin of the other truck. The cleaner, Sarasandhiran Govindswami, became trapped in the wreckage. Although rescue teams managed to extricate him and rush him to a nearby hospital, he succumbed to his injuries.
Legal Action and Ongoing Investigation
The truck driver, identified as Rajesh Govindan (30), survived the accident with minor injuries. However, he now faces legal consequences for his alleged role in the tragedy. Police have booked him under section 106 (causing death by negligence) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Authorities have traced the owner of the trailer truck, who is expected to travel from Tamil Nadu to Pune within the next two days to assist with the investigation and subsequent procedures.
This tragic incident highlights the ongoing safety concerns on the busy Pune-Mumbai expressway, particularly during early morning hours when driver fatigue can become a significant risk factor. The investigation continues as authorities work to determine the exact sequence of events that led to this fatal collision.
