Eight pilgrims, including five of a family, died and many others were injured when a speeding pick-up van in which they were travelling hit a truck on the Pune-Bangalore highway at Perle village in Karad taulka of Satara district early Friday. Police said the deceased hailed from Jategaon in Shirur taluka of Pune district. The van’s driver is also among the dead. Villagers said the pick-up van was carrying 23 people, who were going to Kolhapur for pilgrimage. Assistant police inspector M K Patil of Umbraj police station said the injured were rushed to different hospitals for treatment and some of them were critical. Satara district superintendent of police Abhinav Deshmukh and district guardian minister visited the accident site. The last rites of those who died were performed in their village on Friday night.
