Tragic Accident on Pune-Mumbai Expressway Claims Three Lives, Including a Prominent Builder

A tragic accident on the Pune-Mumbai Expressway near Khopoli exit claimed the lives of three individuals, including a prominent Pune-based builder and his two employees. The incident, which occurred on Wednesday morning, also left five others injured. The accident involved a container that hit at least four vehicles, causing significant damage and chaos on the expressway.

Police have identified the deceased as Shrikant Anant Jadhav (63), a resident of Girija Shankar Vihar in Pune, who was a well-known builder and real estate developer. His two employees, Ambadas Damu Petare from Hingani and Pramosh Shankar Pawar from Chinchani area of Pune district, were also among the fatalities. Jadhav, Petare, and Pawar were traveling in an Innova that was crushed when the container toppled onto it, causing severe damage to the vehicle.

The injured include Navnath Vilas Bhujbal (32) from Talegaon Dhamdhere, Akashau Mahadev Gaikwad (31) from Shikrapur, Bhanudas Sanjay Gaikwad (27) from Chakan, and Swapnil Namdeo Bhujbal (36) from Talegaon Dhamdhere. All four were traveling in other vehicles that were hit by the container. The driver of the container, Avadhesh Radheshyam Yadav (37), a native of Azamgarh in Uttar Pradesh, also suffered injuries in the accident. Police have detained Yadav and booked him for causing deaths due to negligence. The FIR was filed based on the complaint of injured Swapnil Bhujbal.

Senior Inspector Sachin Hire, in-charge of Khopoli police station, stated, “Initial probe suggests that the container was moving at high speed on a patch that has a slope. As the driver recklessly drove the heavy vehicle, it hit at least four vehicles, including three cars and a cement bulker truck. Three persons have been killed, and five, including the driver of the container, have been injured. After the accident, our teams from the police station and teams from Highway Police were deployed.”

Assistant Inspector Manoj Thakre, the investigation officer, confirmed that the deceased include a Pune-based builder and his two employees. Deputy Superintendent of Police for Khalapur division, Vishal Nehul, added, “After the accident, the container and damaged vehicles were taken off the Expressway with the help of other agencies, and traffic was streamlined.”

The incident has raised concerns about the safety and maintenance of the Pune-Mumbai Expressway, one of the busiest and most important corridors in the region. Authorities are urging drivers to exercise caution, especially on sections with slopes and curves, to prevent such tragic accidents in the future.