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Pune Navale Bridge accident | ‘Lucky to be alive’: Families recall terrifying crash

Zuleikha and her daughter Saima were admitted to hospital after the accident at night. They were travelling back from Patan in Satara after attending the funeral of Zuleikha's father-in-law

Forensic experts at the spot where a major accident took place on the Navale Bridge area of the Katraj–Dehu Road Bypass along the Pune–Bangalore Highway on Thursday evening. (Express Photo by Arul Horizon)

Ramjuddin Sayyad, 48, has barely slept since the accident at Navale Bridge along the Pune-Bengaluru highway on Thursday evening when a tanker rammed into multiple vehicles including their mini-bus.

“There were 15 of us from three families, returning to Pune after attending my uncle’s funeral. It was extremely terrifying. We were thrown around inside the bus as it turned over on its left side. We are lucky to be alive. But six people are still hospitalised,” Sayyad who is a tempo driver and stays at Chakan, said. Three survivors are at Sassoon General Hospital and three at Moshi hospital.

Sayyad says they are just coming to terms with what has happened. “We were very close to our uncle and decided to travel together to Patan in Satara in a mini bus to pay our last respects. We reached on Tuesday and were on our way back when this terrible accident took place,” Sayyad said. He recalled how they had to wait as people came and helped them out of the bus.

“My brother’s wife Zuleikha Sayyad has been injured and admitted to Sassoon hospital along with their daughter Saima and another relative. Another three are admitted to Moshi hospital,” Sayyad said.
Zulekha said she was asleep and woke up after hearing a loud noise. “People were screaming and I did not know what had happened and realised that the vehicle had overturned.”

Zuleikha and her daughter Saima were admitted to hospital after the accident at night. Zuleikha has an injury on her forehead. She said her daughter was badly injured on her foot and the two of them were brought to the hospital in a private vehicle. “My sister in law’s husband’s injury was a bit more serious so he was taken to another hospital that was nearby. But after the accident I do not have updates on my relatives’ condition as I don’t even have a phone with me,” she said.

Dr Yellappa Jadhav, medical superintendent, Sassoon General Hospital, told The Indian Express that the nine-year-old girl Saima had a left foot avulsion injury but was stable. Her mother Zulekha, 34, had injury to her head and right side on the chest. She too was stable, he said adding that another relative Amjad Sayyad had trauma to the ear but was stable. “The patients have decided to be discharged against medical advice,” he said.

At Moshi hospital, the family is also worried about three other members who have been hospitalised with fractures and head injury. Ramjuddin Sayyad said that his brother’s eight-year-old daughter was admitted and being treated for a leg fracture. “My sister’s husband has also been hospitalised along with another relative,” he said, adding that three relatives who were admitted to Sassoon would also be brought to Moshi as the family stays at Nigdi.

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Meanwhile relatives of another elderly couple who were returning from Saswad to Pune and were hit by the tanker said that they were fortunate to escape without severe injuries. The driver of the car was also unhurt and according to one of the relatives there were some Good Samaritans who immediately attended to the passengers inside the car. “We are grateful that they immediately assisted the couple instead of shooting videos of the accident,” one relative added.

Anuradha Mascarenhas

Anuradha Mascarenhas is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With a career spanning three decades, she is one of the most respected voices in Indian journalism regarding healthcare, science and environment and research developments. She also takes a keen interest in covering women's issues . Professional Background Education: A gold medalist in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a Master’s degree in Literature. Author: She authored the biography At The Wheel Of Research, which chronicles the life and work of Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, the former Chief Scientist at the WHO. Key Focus: She combines scientific accuracy with storytelling, translating complex medical research into compelling public and human-interest narratives. Awards and Recognition Anuradha has won several awards including the Press Council of India's national award for excellence in journalism under the gender based reporting category in 2019 and the Laadli Media award (gender sensitivity -2024). A recipient of the Lokmat journalism award (gender category-2022), she was also shortlisted for the RedInk awards for excellence in journalism-2021. Her debut book At The Wheel Of Research, an exclusive biography of Dr Soumya Swaminathan the inaugural chief scientist of World Health Organisation was also nominated in the Popular Choice Category of JK Paper AUTHER awards. She has also secured competitive fellowships including the Laadli Media Fellowship (2022), the Survivors Against TB – New Research in TB Media Fellowship (2023) and is part of the prestigious 2025 India Cohort of the WomenLift Health Leadership Journey.” Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) 1. Cancer & Specialized Medical Care "Tata Memorial finds way to kill drug-resistant cancer cells" (Nov 26, 2025): Reporting on a breakthrough for triple-negative breast cancer, one of the most aggressive forms of the disease. Discipline, diet and purpose; How a 97-year-old professor defies ageing'' (Nov 15, 2025) Report about Prof Gururaj Mutalik, the first Head of Department at Pune's B J Government Medical College who at 97 credits his longevity to healthy habits and a strong sense of purpose. 2. Environmental Health (The "Breathless Pune" Series) Long-term exposure even to 'moderate' air leads to chronic heart, lung, kidney issues" (Nov 26, 2025): Part of an investigative series highlighting that even "safe" pollution levels are damaging to vital organs. "For every 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 level, there was 6-8% jump in medicine sales" (Nov 23, 2025): Using commercial data to prove the direct link between air quality and respiratory illnesses in Pune. 3. Lifestyle & Wellness News "They didn't let cancer, diabetes and heart disease stop them from travelling" (Dec 22, 2025): A collaborative piece featuring survivors who share practical tips for traveling with chronic conditions. At 17, his BP shot up to 200/120 mmHG; Lancet study flags why child and teen hypertension doubled between 2000 and 2020'' (Nov 12,2025)--A report that focusses on 17-year-old-boy's hypertensive crisis and reflects the rising global trend of high blood pressure among children and adolescents. 4. Scientific Recognition & Infrastructure For promoting sci-comm, gender diversity: IUCAA woman prof highlighted in Nature" (Nov 25, 2025): Covering the global recognition of Indian women scientists in gender studies and physics. Pune researchers find a spiral galaxy like the Milky Way from early universe'' (December 3, 2025)- A report on how Indian researchers discovered a massive galaxy that existed when the universe was just 1.5 billion years old , one of the earliest to have been observed so far. Signature Beat: Health, Science & Women in Leadership Anuradha is known for her COVID-19 reportage, where she was one of the first journalists to provide detailed insights into the Covishield and Covaxin trials. She has a dedicated interest in gender diversity in health and science, often profiling women researchers who are breaking the "leaky pipeline" in STEM fields. Her writing style is scrupulous, often featuring interviews with top-tier scientists and health experts from various institutions. ... Read More

Soham Shah

Soham Shah is a Correspondent with The Indian Express, based in Pune. A journalism graduate with a background in fact-checking, he brings a meticulous and research-oriented approach to his current reporting. Professional Background Role: Correspondent coverig education and city affairs in Pune. Specialization: His primary beat is education, but he also maintains a strong focus on civic issues, public health, human rights, and state politics. Key Strength: Soham focuses on data-driven reporting on school and college education, government reports, and public infrastructure. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) His late 2025 work highlights a transition from education-centric reporting to hard-hitting investigative and human-rights stories: 1. Investigations & Governance "Express Impact: Mother's name now a must to download birth certificate from PMC site" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on a significant policy change by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) following his earlier reports on gender inclusivity in administrative documents. "44-Acre Mahar Land Controversy: In June, Pune official sought land eviction at Pawar son firm behest" (Nov 9, 2025): An investigative piece on real estate irregularities involving high-profile political families. 2. Education & Campus Life Faculty crisis at SPPU hits research, admin work: 62% of govt-sanctioned posts vacant, over 75% in many depts (Sept 12, 2025): An investigative piece on professor vacancies at Savitribai Phule Pune University. "Maharashtra’s controversial third language policy: Why National Curriculum Framework recommends a third language from Class 6" (July 2): This detailed piece unpacks reasons behind why the state's move to introduce a third language from class 1 was controversial. "Decline in number of schools, teachers in Maharashtra but student enrolment up: Report" (Jan 2025): Analyzing discrepancies in the state's education data despite rising student numbers. 3. Human Rights & Social Issues "Aanchal Mamidawar was brave after her family killed her boyfriend" (Dec 17, 2025): A deeply personal and hard-hitting opinion piece/column on the "crime of love" and honor killings in modern India. "'People disrespect the disabled': Meet the man who has become face of racist attacks on Indians" (Nov 29, 2025): A profile of a Pune resident with severe physical deformities who became the target of global online harassment, highlighting issues of disability and cyber-bullying. Signature Style Soham is known for his civil-liberties lens. His reporting frequently champions the rights of the marginalized—whether it's students fighting for campus democracy, victims of regressive social practices, or residents struggling with crumbling urban infrastructure (as seen in his "Breathless Pune" contributions). He is adept at linking hyper-local Pune issues to larger national conversations about law and liberty. X (Twitter): @SohamShah07 ... Read More

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