A late-night journey turned into a nightmare on the Pune-Solapur highway, resulting in five fatalities and one injury. The tragic accident occurred near Mohol town in Kolhapur district around 11:30 PM on Saturday.
Vehicle Crashes Into Tree After Losing Control
The multi-utility vehicle was traveling from Panvel in Raigad district to Akkalkot in Solapur when it met with disaster. According to Mohol police officials, the driver lost control at a location known as Devdi Phata along the highway.
The vehicle first veered off the road before crashing violently into a tree. The impact sent the MUV cartwheeling several times before it finally came to rest some distance away from the initial point of collision.
The force of the crash was so severe that the vehicle crumpled into a mangled heap of metal. Emergency responders needed specialized cutting equipment to extract the trapped passengers from the wreckage.
Victims Identified, One Survivor Provides Crucial Details
Police have released the identities of those who lost their lives in the horrific crash. The deceased include Mala Salave (40) from New Panvel's Sector 18, Archana Bhandare (47) from Panvel West's Sector 7, Vishal Bhosale (41) from Railway Colony near Panvel station, and Amar Patil from Kharghar. Authorities are still working to confirm the address of the fifth victim, Ananda Mali.
The sole survivor, Jyoti Takle, also resides in Sector 7 of Panvel. She sustained injuries but has been declared out of danger by medical professionals at Mohol's Civil Hospital, where she remains under treatment.
Doctors confirmed that the other five victims were pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital.
Speeding Emerges as Primary Cause
Investigating officer Head Constable Atul Kshirsagar revealed crucial information provided by the injured survivor. "According to Jyoti Takle's statement, excessive speed caused this tragedy," Kshirsagar explained. "Their vehicle was likely traveling at approximately 100 kilometers per hour when the accident occurred."
The group of longtime friends had begun their journey from Panvel around 2:30 PM that afternoon. Their destination, Akkalkot, remained roughly 100 kilometers away when the crash happened nine hours into their trip.
"They had taken a break during their journey before continuing," Kshirsagar added. "They hoped to reach Akkalkot by early morning hours."
Investigation Progress and Aftermath
Police confirmed that Amar Patil, one of the deceased, had borrowed the MUV from a relative for this trip and was driving the vehicle at the time of the accident.
Authorities have completed postmortem examinations for two of the victims. Their families will transport the bodies back to their hometowns for final rites. The investigation continues as police piece together the complete sequence of events leading to this devastating highway tragedy.
