Eight Killed As Pick-Up Van Falls Off Road On Hilly Terrain In Pune District

Pune: As many as eight people, on their way to a temple, were killed and several others sustained injuries after a pick-up van they were travelling in fell off the road on a hilly terrain in Pune district on Monday, police said.

The victims, who hailed from Papalwadi village, were on their way to the Kundeshwar Temple in the Khed tehsil to mark an auspicious day of the Shravan month, they said.

"There were around 30 to 35 passengers, including women and children, in the pick-up van. As per preliminary probe, the vehicle fell 25 to 30 feet down the road while negotiating a ghat section," an official from Pimpri Chinchwad police said. He said eight people have died in the accident, and several others sustained injuries and have been admitted to nearby hospitals including Care Well Hospital, Chakan, Bambale Hospital and Sainath Hospital, Bhosari.

The deceased have been identified as Shobha Dnyaneshwar Papad, Suman Kaluram Papad, Sharda Ramdas Chorge, Manda Kanif Darekar, Sanjeevani Kailas Darekar, Mirabai Sambhaji Chorge, Baydabai Nyaneshwar Darekar and Shakuntala Tanaji Chorge.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the loss of lives. In a post on X, the Prime Minister's Office said, "Saddened by the loss of lives due to an accident in Pune, Maharashtra. Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones in the mishap. May the injured recover soon. An ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh from the PMNRF would be given to the next of the kin of the each deceased. The injured would be given Rs 50,000: PM Narendra Modi."