Pune accident: Bus journey to visit new flat in Mumbai turns fatal for man, mother

Suresh Pedgaonkar, a family relative, rushed to the Sassoon General Hospital when the accident news was relayed to him. Guruprasad Bolbhate, a distant cousin of Korgaonkar, who was in Pune for his official work, also came to the hospital. They had to perform the unsavoury work of identifying and collecting the mortal remains of their relatives. Bolbhate had spoken to both Ravindra and Suvarna a month ago and all he could remember was that things were fine. “It was a normal touch base. We spoke at a shop,” he said.

An employee of the India Post, Ravindra was the younger of Suvarna’s two sons. Originally from the Dajipur village in Radhanagari taluka of Kolhapur, he considered the new house at Dombivli a big moment. According to relatives, the work on his ancestral home in Dajipur was also on.

Ravindra lived with his wife, Deepa, and two daughters — Shreya (18) and Prapti (12). Shreya has finished Class 12, while Prapti is in Class 6. The relatives escorted the bereaved family from Mumbai to Kolhapur, where the last rites would be performed.

Pedgaonkar talked of Ravindra as a normal person who was diligent about his duties and familial bonds. Ravindra’s brother Mahesh runs a business in Kolhapur while looking after their other agricultural land. Pedgaonkar said Ravindra was excited to show his mother his new home. “At times, he used to drive to Mumbai, but I don’t know why he chose to travel by bus on this ill-fated night,” he said. He added that Ravindra preferred bus travel to train journeys as he thought they were more convenient.

Last night Ravindra spoke to his family after boarding the bus and on Sunday morning, his wife and children woke up to the news that he was no more.