Three Workers Killed in Horrific Hit-and-Run on Samruddhi Expressway
A tragic hit-and-run accident on the Samruddhi Expressway near Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar has claimed the lives of three workers and left three others with serious injuries. The incident occurred around 1 PM on Friday when a speeding container truck plowed into a group of workers who were taking a lunch break after completing repair work.
Deadly Impact During Lunch Break
The six workers, employed by Megha Engineering Company, had just finished repairing a metal guard rail along the expressway's overtaking lane near the Wadkha-Nathnagar stretch. They were seated in the shade of two parked vehicles—a service truck and a JCB machine—when the container truck, traveling from Jalna toward Mumbai, suddenly crashed into them at high speed.
"The container first hit the service truck from the rear, pushing it forward into the JCB parked ahead," explained a police officer. "The container then continued dragging the JCB for nearly 100 feet, crushing the workers who were sitting beside the vehicles."
The accident site was left scattered with tools, work equipment, and the workers' lunch boxes—a grim reminder of the peaceful moment shattered by the violent collision.
Victims and Immediate Aftermath
Two workers died instantly at the scene, while a third succumbed to injuries after being rushed to the hospital. The deceased have been identified as:
- Rahul Ramgiri (31) of Partur
- Vireshwar Vishwakarma (32) of Mhow, Uttar Pradesh
- Ganesh Sandu Kasare (27) of Naigaon
The three injured workers who survived the horrific accident are:
- Ramgopal Patel (31) from Madhya Pradesh
- Dnyaneshwar Somnath Ghorpade (26) of Pokhari
- Shailendra Bijendra Roy (28) from West Bengal
"They were initially rushed by an ambulance operating on the expressway to the Govt Medical College and Hospital in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar," the officer stated. "They were later shifted to a private hospital where they are currently undergoing treatment for serious injuries."
Police Response and Investigation
Highway security police inspector Kishor Chaudhary and assistant inspector Mohan Chavan rushed to the scene with their team immediately after receiving the alert about the accident. They were soon joined by Chikalthana police station in-charge inspector Samratsingh Rajput, assistant inspector Samadhan Pawar, sub-inspector Uttam Nagargoje, and other personnel.
The police team assisted in rescue efforts and helped restore traffic movement, which had been halted on one side of the expressway for nearly two hours until the damaged vehicles were cleared.
Police confirmed that the company had installed safety barricades and warning signs at the work site while the repair work was underway, indicating that proper safety protocols were being followed before the tragic incident occurred.
Manhunt for Fleeing Driver
Inspector Samratsingh Rajput confirmed that the container driver fled immediately after the crash. "A case is being registered against the container driver at the Chikalthana police station," he stated. "Efforts are currently underway to trace and arrest him."
The police have launched a comprehensive manhunt to locate the driver responsible for the fatal hit-and-run. The investigation continues as authorities work to determine the exact circumstances that led to the container truck veering into the work area where the six workers were resting.
