Maharashtra Twin Tragedy: Soldier Dies In Accident Hours Before Daughter's Birth; Another Killed In Crash In Sudan
Pramod Parshuram Jadhav died after his motorcycle collided with a pickup truck while Vikas Gawade has died while being on a UN peacekeeping mission.
Published : January 11, 2026 at 6:39 PM IST
Satara: In a twin tragedy for Maharashtra and Satara district in particular, two soldiers have lost their lives, one during a United Nations peacekeeping mission in Sudan while another died while on leave for his wife's delivery.
Pramod Parshuram Jadhav, a soldier from Aredare village in Satara taluka, who was on leave for his wife's delivery, died on the spot in a collision between his motorcycle and a pickup truck on Friday night according to officials.
Father Dies Hours Before Daughter's Birth
It is understood that Jadhav had married around a year ago. His pregnant wife had been admitted to a hospital in Satara for delivery. Jadhav had come home on eight days paternity leave. On Friday night, around 11:30 pm, while he was coming towards Satara from Wadhe Phata, his motorcycle collided with a pickup truck at the old RTO office square.
Jadhav sustained a head injury, resulting in his on the spot death as per officials. After the soldier's accidental death at night, his wife gave birth to a baby girl on Saturday morning. However, he was not alive to see his daughter. The heartbreaking incident has plunged Aredare village into mourning.
A Tearful Farewell
After medical formalities, the funeral of soldier Pramod Jadhav was held with state honors at the crematorium in Aredare village on Saturday afternoon. His wife and newborn daughter were brought to bid him a final farewell. The wife's cries at the cremation left the mourners in tears. The villagers of Aredare bid a tearful farewell to their village's son.
Meanwhile, police have registered a case into the soldier's accidental death at the Shahupuri police station. Sub-Inspector Shankar Gaikwad is leading the investigation in the case. It was not immediately known whether police made any arrests in the case.
Soldier On UN Peacekeeping Mission Dies In Accident
In another incident, Vikas Gawade from Barad village has been martyred in South Sudan in the African continent while being on a United Nations peacekeeping mission. According to villagers, Gawade was martyred in an accident in the country. Army sources have confirmed that he was martyred in an accident while on duty.
The exact nature of the accident is not yet clear. Vikas Gawade was scheduled to return home from the peacekeeping mission in a few days.
The soldier's sudden death has plunged Barad and the entire Phaltan taluka into grief. Gawade was a Naik (Corporal) in the 115 Engineer Regiment. He had joined the army ten years ago. Gawade's father works as a mason and farmer. Besides his father, he is survived by a younger brother, wife, and a two-year-old daughter. The people of Barad remember him as a quiet and friendly person.
Mortal Remains Awaited
Efforts are underway to bring his body back. However, the weather conditions in Sudan are causing delays as per officials. The body will be flown directly to Mumbai from Sudan. After bringing the body to Barad village from there, the last rites will be performed with full state honors. Government sources have said that the soldier's body will be brought by Monday or Tuesday. Both these incidents have cast a pall of gloom over Satara district.
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