At least eight people were killed and 20 others injured in a major road accident near Pune’s Navale Bridge on Thursday evening after a speeding truck lost control and rammed into several vehicles.
According to Pune City Police, the incident occurred around 5:30 pm within the jurisdiction of Sinhagad Police Station, near the “Selfie Point” stretch of the highway. The collision involved around eight vehicles, two of which caught fire due to the impact.
“Within the jurisdiction of Sinhagad Police Station, an accident occurred on the Selfie Point on the highway involving around eight vehicles,” said an officer from Pune City Police.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone 3) Sambhaji Kadam confirmed the casualties, saying, “At least eight persons have died, while many others were left injured."
What happened at Navale Bridge
DCP Kadam said the truck, travelling from Satara to Mumbai via the Mumbai–Bengaluru highway, likely suffered a brake failure while descending the Navale Bridge slope.
“The truck then went on to hit multiple vehicles on its way, including a car. The impact was such that the car caught fire after being sandwiched between the truck and a container ahead on the same route,” Kadam said.
Police teams, along with the Pune Fire Brigade, rushed to the site to douse the flames and rescue the victims. Firefighters later retrieved the bodies from the damaged car and container.
Authorities are working to identify the deceased. The wrecked vehicles are being cleared from the highway, and traffic was temporarily diverted during the operation. A probe has been launched to ascertain the exact cause of the crash.
The accident occurred on the Katraj–Dehu Road Bypass section of the Pune–Bengaluru Highway, a stretch that has witnessed several major accidents in recent years.
Traffic advisory issued
Following the crash, DCP Traffic Himmat Jadhav announced that the lane heading from Satara towards Mumbai has been shut for traffic.
“Efforts are currently underway to remove the damaged vehicles and shift the injured to nearby hospitals. The operation is expected to take some time. Motorists are advised to avoid this route for the next two hours. Travel on this stretch should be undertaken only if absolutely necessary. Vehicles travelling from Satara towards Mumbai are urged to take the old Katraj Ghat route as an alternative,” Jadhav said.
In November 2022, a similar incident occurred in the same area when a truck crashed into 48 vehicles, leaving at least 20 people injured and six hospitalised.
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