Horrific Navale Bridge Collision Claims Eight Lives in Pune
A devastating road accident on the Navale Bridge in Pune resulted in eight people being burned to death and 13 others injured on Thursday evening. The Pune City police have subsequently booked the driver, cleaner, and owner of a speeding truck for culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
Charges Filed and Sequence of the Tragic Event
According to the First Information Report (FIR) lodged at the Sinhagad Road police station, the tragedy unfolded around 5:40 pm on Thursday on the Katraj Dehu Road Bypass of the Pune-Bangalore Highway. The truck driver, Rustam Rudar Khan (35), was travelling from Satara to Mumbai when he reportedly lost control of his heavily laden vehicle on the Navale Bridge slope.
The police investigation points to a possible brake failure as the cause. The out-of-control truck, carrying iron pieces and rods, collided with multiple vehicles. The impact was catastrophic, with one car becoming sandwiched between the truck and a container, leading to it catching fire immediately.
By early Friday, the police had formally charged the deceased driver Rustam, the also deceased cleaner Mushtaq Hanif Khan (31), and the truck owner Tahir Nasir Khan (45). All three, natives of Rajasthan, were booked under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Motor Vehicle Act.
Victims and the Aftermath of the Fire
Among the eight fatalities were five individuals from three different families who had embarked on a trip to Narayanpur for a temple visit. The victims in the car include:
- Car driver Dhananjay Koli (30), a resident of Chikhali.
- Swati Santosh Navalkar (37) of Dhayari Phata.
- Her mother, Shanta Dattatraya Dabhade (54).
- Her father, Dattatraya Chandrakant Dabhade (58).
- Mokshita Hemkumar Reddy (3), also from Chikhali.
Devendra Potphode, Chief of the Pune Fire Brigade, suggested that the intensity of the fire was likely exacerbated by a CNG kit fitted in the car, which may have exploded after the initial blaze. Deputy Commissioner of Police Sambhaji Kadam confirmed that the police are continuing their investigation to determine the exact cause of the accident.
A Notorious Black Spot on Pune's Highway
This tragedy has once again highlighted the dangerous reputation of the Navale Bridge area. The location, along with an adjacent 'Selfie Point', is officially designated as a black spot by the Integrated Road Accident Database (iRAD) under the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.
A road stretch earns the 'black spot' tag if five or more fatal accidents or those causing grievous injuries occur within a 500-meter radius over three years. The Navale Bridge area has witnessed multiple such accidents over the past few years, raising serious concerns about road safety measures on this critical section of the Pune-Bangalore Highway.
