State minister helps mishap victims; 12 die

PUNE, February 12: Twelve pilgrims were killed and 20 seriously injured when their Jejuri-bound bus was rammed by a truck on Tuesday night o...

PUNE, February 12: Twelve pilgrims were killed and 20 seriously injured when their Jejuri-bound bus was rammed by a truck on Tuesday night on a sparsely-populated stretch of the Nashik highway about 95 kms from here.

The luxury bus was carrying 40 pilgrims from village Pimpri Pendhar in Junnar taluka. Eight of them were killed on the spot as the truck collided head on with it at Chalakwadi hamlet near Aale Phata junction of the highway, around 10.15 p.m. yesterday. Four pilgrims succumbed to injuries at the Sassoon Hospital here while 20 are still undergoing treatment at the hospital.

Among those killed on the spot were Pradip Gopaldas Sharma (22), Samir Maruti Kute (14), Preeti Damodar Barave (16), Mahendra Khandu Kute (28), a 16-year-old girl whose identity has been established as Gulvi, a 38-year-old man whose identity is yet to be ascertained, seven year old Priyanka Savkar Nalavade and Ramchandra Ramaji Chavan (70).

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The identity of one of those succumbing at the hospital was to be established. Thethree others were identified as Narmada Govind Kute (70), Sudhakar alias Sudam Laxman Jadhav (45), and Preeti Barve’s younger brother Santosh (14).

The injured admitted to the Sassoon hospital included Arun Gajare (20), Umesh Gajare (15), Dnyaneshwar Kute (48), Suresh Wavhal (35), Rajesh Nalavade (25), Mahadeo Gajare (40), Sukhdeo Gajare (31), Chandrakant Gajare (31), Prabhakar Kute (45), Shantaram Doke (32), Digambar Kute (45), Prabhakar Kute (18), Prakash Gajare (25), Damodar Barave (55), Hausabai Kute (55), Govind Gajare (55) and Samir Phadke (33).

State labour minister Sabir Shaikh, who was passing on the highway at the time, reached the accident spot within five minutes and assisted the residents of nearby areas in rescuing the victims and rushing them to hospital.

According to the police, the 40 devotees had started from their village for the pilgrim centre of Jejuri where they were to offer worship. The bus, had just crossed the Kawre Mala when the truck heading toward Nashik rammed into it.It is suspected that the truck driver lost his control over the. The truck driver, whose identity could not be ascertained fled from the spot.