27 dead in Mumbai-Pune Expressway mishap
Twenty-seven people — all part of a wedding party — were killed and 28 others injured in one of the worst accidents this year in Maharashtra. The incident occurred at around 1 am on Monday when a tempo rammed into a stationary bus on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway at Khalapur.
According to the police, the marriage party was travelling in two buses on the Expressway, when one of the buses got a flat tyre. Both parked on the side of the road — one behind the other — for repairs. Several occupants of the buses got off and sat between the two buses and alongside the road.
“While the puncture was being repaired, a speeding tempo rammed into the second bus from behind, crushing several people inside. The bus in turn dashed against the one in front, crushing both those sitting between and several others on the road,” said R.D. Shinde, Raigad police superintendent.
There were 55 people in the party, and most of the 27 deceased — of whom 15 are women and seven children — were either sitting on the road alongside the buses or between them.
According to the police, the driver of the tempo had ignored a warning of the patrolling van of the IRB Infrastructure that handles the Expressway. “IRB personnel had warned the driver using a torch, as he was driving over the speed limit in the wrong lane. The driver may have dozed off and ignored the warning,” Mr Shinde said.
“If the bus had been taken to any of the parking lots on the Expressway, this accident could have been avoided. The driver should have at least parked his vehicle in a safe zone,” said Dilip Bhujbal, superintendent of police (highway).
The tempo driver, identified as Somnath Padthare (23), has been arrested; he has sustained injuries to his left hand.
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