Deadly Pune Bridge Crash Claims Eight Lives
In a tragic incident that has shaken Pune, eight people lost their lives and thirteen others sustained injuries when an overloaded truck went out of control on Navale Bridge Thursday evening. The Pune City police have now taken serious action, booking the truck owner for culpable homicide not amounting to murder in connection with the devastating accident.
Charges Filed Against Truck Owner and Deceased Crew
Police have identified the accused as Tahir Nasir Khan, 45, from Rajasthan, who owned the ill-fated vehicle. The truck driver Rustam Rudar Khan, 35, and cleaner Mushtaq Hanif Khan, 31, both also from Rajasthan, died in the collision but have been posthumously charged alongside the owner.
The case registered at Sinhagad Road police station includes multiple serious charges under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Motor Vehicle Act. These include Section 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), Section 281 (rash and negligent driving), Section 125 (a)(b) (act endangering human life and personal safety), and various sections of the Motor Vehicle Act.
Sequence of the Tragic Accident
According to police investigation, the tragedy unfolded around 5:40 PM on Thursday when the overloaded truck was traveling from Satara to Mumbai via the Katraj Dehu Road Bypass. As the vehicle descended the slope on Navale Bridge, the driver reportedly lost control due to suspected brake failure.
The impact of the collision was catastrophic. Deputy Commissioner of Police Sambhaji Kadam confirmed that a car caught fire after being sandwiched between the truck and a container on the same route. Devendra Potphode, Chief of Pune Fire Brigade, noted that the car may have had a CNG kit, which potentially exploded after the initial impact.
Victims Include Entire Families
Among the eight fatalities were five individuals from three different families who had visited Narayanpur for a temple pilgrimage. The victims include:
- Dhananjay Koli, 30
- Swati Santosh Navalkar, 37
- Shanta Dattatraya Dabhade, 54
- Dattatraya Chandrakant Dabhade, 58
- Mokshita Hemkumar Reddy, 3
The young age of three-year-old Mokshita has particularly highlighted the tragedy's devastating impact on multiple families.
Overloading and Black Spot History
Senior police inspector Dilip Daingade, the investigation officer, revealed that the truck appeared to have been overloaded beyond capacity with iron pieces and rods. This overloading likely contributed to the brake failure and subsequent loss of control.
Adding to the concerns, Navale Bridge and the adjacent 'Selfie Point' are officially recognized as "black spots" on the Integrated Road Accident Database (iRAD) maintained by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. A black spot is defined as a 500-meter road stretch where five or more fatal accidents or those causing grievous injuries have occurred within three years.
Police sub-inspector Madhukar Tupsaundar, 55, lodged the First Information Report in this case. While the truck owner has not been arrested yet, police have confirmed that further investigation is ongoing to determine the exact cause of the accident and establish full accountability.
