Two Andheri Tourists Killed After Bus Plunges Into Pabe Ghat Valley Near Pune
Two tourists from Andheri (East) and Vile Parle were killed and several others were injured after their private tourist bus plunged into a deep valley in the Pabe Ghat area of Rajgad taluka, near Pune, late Saturday night. The vehicle, carrying around 20 passengers from Mumbai, overturned multiple times after the driver lost control on a slippery, rain-soaked road.
One of the deceased was identified by the police as 25-year-old Vishwas Baburao Dhatia, a resident of Nehru Nagar in Vile Parle. A young woman also died in the accident, though her identity has not yet been disclosed by the authorities.
The group of tourists was travelling from Andheri (East) to the Rajgad Fort. According to the Velhe police, the accident occurred while the bus was descending the steep ghat road. Heavy rainfall had made the road surface highly slippery, causing the driver to lose control of the vehicle.
The impact of the fall left the bus severely damaged and trapped multiple passengers inside. Upon receiving information about the crash, rescue teams rushed to the spot.
Personnel from the Haveli Disaster Management team, Velhe police, and local villagers conducted a rescue operation that lasted throughout the night. Rescuers faced challenging conditions, including heavy rain, darkness, and difficult terrain, to pull the passengers out of the wreckage.
The injured passengers, including the bus driver, 47-year-old Sandeep Tukaram Gaikwad, were shifted to a government hospital and other medical facilities for treatment. Gaikwad sustained injuries to his hands and other parts of his body.
Members of the Haveli Disaster Management team who participated in the operation included Tanaji Bhosale, Ganesh Sapkal, Sandeep Solaskar, and Krishna Margale. Police personnel Akash Patil and Pankaj Moghe from the Velhe Police Station also assisted in the rescue.
The Velhe Police Station has registered an accident case, and further investigation into the incident is underway. Following the accident, the local administration has urged motorists to maintain a safe speed and drive with extreme caution on ghat roads during the monsoon season.
