In a tragic incident on the Mumbai-Pune expressway, a private bus collided with a trailer near Khopoli, leading to the death of the bus driver and injuries to seven passengers. The unfortunate collision occurred on the midnight of December 10 (Sunday), raising concerns about road safety on this busy expressway.
According to information provided by a Highway State Police officer, the Vaibhav Travels Private Bus (MH-09-GJ-9630) was en route from Mumbai to Pune when the accident unfolded at 1:40 am on December 10. The bus driver, Shirish Rajaram Dhekle, lost control near Khopoli and collided with a trailer (RJ-14-JU- 9745), resulting in severe damage to the left side of the bus.
Tragically, Raju Gawde, the second driver seated on the left side, lost his life on the spot. His body was swiftly transported to Khopoli Municipality hospital. Among the seven injured passengers are Shailesh Shetke, Pradeep Shivaji Chavan, Sudhir Bhagwat, Rahul Bhagwat, Rohit Bhosale, Sneha Mehta, and Jitesh Chaturvedi.
The first five injured passengers have been admitted to MGM Hospital in Kamothe, while the remaining two have been taken to Lokmanya Tilak Hospital in Pune for medical attention. The affected bus has been safely towed away with the assistance of a crane, and traffic on the accident site has resumed smoothly.
In another unfortunate incident on the same expressway during the midnight hours of Sunday, a milk tanker collided with a car, resulting in the death of the tanker driver. The incident occurred around 12 am on December 10, leading to a temporary road blockage. Emergency responders, including local residents and law enforcement, collaborated to extricate the driver from the wreckage using a crane.
