Family's Day of Celebration Ends in Tragedy on Pune Bridge
A day that began with prayers, gratitude and birthday celebrations ended in unimaginable tragedy for a Pune family when a speeding truck caused a devastating accident on Navale Bridge Thursday evening. The collision claimed eight lives and left approximately thirteen others injured, shattering multiple families in moments.
The incident occurred around 5:30 PM on November 14, 2025, at the Navale Bridge area along the Katraj Dehu Road Bypass of the Pune-Bangalore Highway. According to eyewitness accounts, a speeding truck lost control and collided with multiple vehicles, creating chaos and destruction during the evening rush hour.
Victims Identified: Entire Family Wiped Out
Among those killed in the tragic accident were 37-year-old Swatee Navalkar, her parents Shanta and Dattatraya Dabhade, her friend's three-year-old daughter Mokshita Reddy, and their car driver Dhananjay Koli. The accident has left Swatee's sister Komal, her husband Santosh, and their children Ankita and Sarthak completely devastated.
Ankita, who was celebrating her birthday that day, is a Class 10 student, while her brother Sarthak is pursuing first year data science studies. The family now faces the unbearable loss of multiple generations in a single tragic event.
The Fateful Journey: A Vow Fulfilled Turns Deadly
Neighbors revealed that Swatee had undertaken a navas (religious vow) for her father Dattatraya, who had previously been paralyzed, praying for his recovery and mobility. Thursday marked the fifth and final visit to the Narayanpur temple to complete this spiritual commitment.
"She decided to take her parents along for the final darshan," said Sumit Shrivastav, a neighbor. "It was also her daughter Ankita's birthday, and her friend had come from Tirupati to celebrate. They had just received a call saying she was reaching soon when tragedy struck."
The family had left their home at 3 PM, with the accident occurring just two and a half hours later at 5:30 PM. Little Mokshita, only three years old, had insisted on accompanying Swatee for the drive, despite initial plans to leave her behind.
"They weren't going to take the 3-year-old with them, but she was adamant," Shrivastav recalled, his voice filled with emotion. "It's just questions and questions, no answers. I'm so scared to leave home now. Anything can happen."
Remembering Swatee: A Life of Kindness and Hard Work
Friends and associates struggled to process the loss of Swatee, remembered as a warm, hardworking woman who built strong relationships effortlessly. Kanchan Joshi, a close associate of the Navalkar family, described her as always cheerful and ready to help.
"She had a happy face, she was so beautiful, always happy and cheerful," Joshi said. "She never hesitated to help anyone - she was the type of person to rush to someone's aid even at midnight. For 15 to 20 years she has been running her beauty parlour, she was so hardworking I never would have imagined such a thing."
Her staff members echoed these sentiments, describing Swatee as more than just an employer. Tanya Temjhare, one of her employees, noted that Swatee never treated staff like workers but rather as family.
"She never yelled at us, she created a bond with everyone," Temjhare said. "She used to say 'it's your parlour, you have to look after it.' Clients used to come from faraway areas like Undri, Katraj, Hadapsar, Kothrud - that was the connection she created."
Regular clients remembered her generosity and caring nature. Shubhangi Pandkar, a long-time customer, shared: "If clients didn't have money, she'd tell them not to worry about it. She had 2 kids. Her sister Komal lost her parents as well as her older sister - what will the family do?"
The tragedy has left the entire community in shock, with many questioning road safety measures on the busy Pune-Bangalore Highway. The accident serves as a grim reminder of how quickly lives can change on Indian roads, turning moments of joy and spiritual fulfillment into unimaginable grief.
