A tragic road accident in Pune has claimed the lives of two young cousins, who succumbed to their injuries in hospital days after a horrific collision with a minitruck. The incident, which occurred last week, has left a family in mourning and the police searching for the absconding driver.
The Fatal Night and the Aftermath
On the evening of December 11, three cousins – Sarthak Vijay Dhamdhere (20), Pranav Sambhaji Dhamdhere (21), and Deepak Dattatreya Dhamdhere (20) – visited a temple in Narayanpur, Purandar taluka. They were returning to their home in Talegaon Dhamdhere on a single motorcycle around 9 PM, with Sarthak driving and the other two riding pillion.
Tragedy struck at approximately 10:30 PM in the Shindawane Ghat section near Uruli Kanchan, about 35km from Pune city. According to investigating officer Uddhav Gaikwad of the Uruli Kanchan police, a minitruck, while attempting to overtake another vehicle, swerved into the wrong lane. It collided head-on with the cousins' motorcycle.
Driver Flees, Locals Give Chase
The impact of the collision was severe. Sarthak and Pranav were thrown to the right side of the road, while Deepak fell on the left. The motorcycle was lodged under the minitruck. Shockingly, the truck driver did not stop. Alert locals chased the vehicle and forced it to stop, but the driver managed to escape on foot from the spot.
Deepak, who miraculously escaped unhurt, immediately rushed his critically injured cousins to a hospital in Uruli Kanchan. Given the seriousness of their condition, they were later shifted to a private hospital in Pune for advanced treatment. Despite medical efforts, both Sarthak and Pranav succumbed to their injuries on Tuesday, almost four days after the accident.
Police Investigation and Legal Action
Deepak Dhamdhere subsequently filed a formal complaint with the Uruli Kanchan police, initiating the investigation. The police have since traced the owner of the minitruck, who is a resident of Bhosari. However, the primary accused, the driver, remains at large.
"The driver is still on the run. We are searching for him," stated Officer Gaikwad. The police have invoked Section 106 (causing death by negligence) of the newly implemented Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) against the unidentified driver. The search operation continues as authorities work to apprehend the individual responsible for the fatal crash.
