9 killed as tempo collides with minivan in Maharashtra

Nine people were killed and eight injured as a tempo collided with their minivan, forcing it to ram into a stationary bus on the Pune-Nashik highway on Friday, a police official said.

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The incident took place near Narayangaon at 9.30am, he added.

The tempo struck the minivan from behind, causing it to ram into an empty bus parked on the side of the road, the official said.

"The impact of the collision was so severe that nine people died on the spot," said Pankaj Deshmukh, Superintendent of Police, Pune Rural.

Police identified the deceased as Debubai Takalkar (65), driver Vinod Rokade (50), Yuvraj Wavhal (23), Chandrakant Gunjal (50), Geeta Gaware (45), Bhau Bade (65), Najma Hanif Shaikh (35), Vashifa Inamdar (5) and Manisha Pacharne (56).

"Eight others sustained minor to moderate injuries and are undergoing treatment. Following the crash, the tempo driver fled the scene. We have registered a case against the unidentified driver of the tempo and bus driver Bhausaheb Jaybhay under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Motor Vehicles Act," a Narayangaon police station official said.

The bus driver had been booked since he had parked the vehicle in a dangerous manner, the official said.

Efforts are on to nab the driver of the tempo, the official added.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis called the incident unfortunate and announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh each to the kin of the deceased.

Vikram Bhor, sarpanch of Junnar tehsil's Kandali village, from where five of the deceased hailed, said everyone was shocked after hearing of the accident.

"Minivan driver Vinod Rokade used to operate the vehicle locally. Bhau Bade was going to Narayangaon to buy medicines. Deceased Manisha Pacharne was a Zila Parishad schoolteacher. Yuvraj Wavhal, a 23-year-old youth from a neighbouring village, was preparing for civil services exams," Bhor said.

The distance between Kandali and Narayagaon is 10 kilometres and people use such private vehicles on the route.