Three Killed, Four Injured in Devastating Mumbai-Pune Expressway Crash
A catastrophic accident on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway near Khopoli on Wednesday resulted in three fatalities and left four individuals with severe injuries. The incident involved a container trailer transporting paint that lost control, triggering a chain-reaction collision with multiple vehicles.
Sequence of the Tragic Collision
According to police reports, the container trailer, driven by 37-year-old Awadesh Yadav from Uttar Pradesh, was en route to Navi Mumbai when it veered out of control at a bend in the Bhor ghat section near Adoshi village. The massive vehicle first rammed into an SUV and a sedan, then struck a cement tanker before toppling over onto another SUV, completely crushing it.
The three occupants of the crushed SUV—Ambadas Petare (41), Shrikant Jadhav (63), and Pramod Pawar (27)—all residents of Pune district, were pronounced dead at a civic hospital. The victims, who worked in the real estate and construction sector, were traveling to Panvel for a business meeting when tragedy struck.
Injuries and Traffic Chaos
Four men in another SUV—Navnath Bhujbal (32), Akshay Gaikwad (31), Bhanudas Gaikwad (27), and Swapnil Bhujbal (36)—sustained severe injuries in the collision. The group from Pune was headed to visit a political party office in Mumbai. Trailer driver Awadesh Yadav also suffered serious injuries in the crash.
"The sedan's occupants had a miraculous escape after their vehicle was thrust forward by the impact, sustaining only minor damage," noted Assistant Police Inspector Manoj Thakare.
The massive pile-up caused significant traffic disruption on the Mumbai-bound carriageway for over four hours. Authorities had to deploy a hydraulic crane to remove the overturned trailer before normal traffic flow could resume.
Legal Action and Previous Incidents
Khopoli police have filed a First Information Report (FIR) against trailer driver Awadesh Yadav under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Motor Vehicles Act for rash and negligent driving causing death.
This tragic incident follows another major accident on the same expressway just last month, when a propylene tanker carrying approximately 21,000 kilograms of highly flammable compressed gas overturned near the Adoshi tunnel. That incident resulted in a 32-hour traffic jam with vehicles backed up for several kilometers.
Senior Inspector Sachin Hire of Khopoli police confirmed the details of Wednesday's crash and emphasized the ongoing investigation into the exact circumstances that led to the trailer losing control on the expressway bend.
