A 58-year-old woman was killed and 21 others were injured in an accident on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, which involved nearly 25 vehicles. The accident happened after a trailer truck rammed into several vehicles on the highway after experiencing brake failure.
According to PTI, Senior Inspector Sachin Hire of Khopoli police station said, "The deceased woman from Dharashiv was travelling with six others in a Scorpio. The 21 injured people have been sent to MGM Hospital in Kamothe, Navi Mumbai.”
"The driver was taken into custody by Khopoli police. However, a medical examination has shown he was not under the influence of alcohol at the time of the incident. A case has been registered and further probe is underway," he added.
The accident happened under a bridge on the Mumbai-bound lane of the expressway, just after the Khopoli exit near the toll booth.
After receiving first medical assistance at Khopoli Municipal Hospital, the 21 injured individuals were sent to MGM Hospital in Kamothe for additional care. One of the injured is a judge's wife from the Bombay High Court.
“The trailer driver, Rajeshkumar Patel (29), was taken into custody. His medical examination, including a breath analyser test, was conducted, but no alcohol was detected. The driver hails from Uttar Pradesh,”Hire said.
Vehicles behind the truck collided with each other over a stretch of nearly 3 kilometres.
Teams from the India Reserve Battalion, Devdoot, highway police and volunteers from Help Foundation carried out the rescue operations, NDTV reported. They cleared the expressway within 45 minutes by moving the damaged vehicles to the side.
The reason for the brake failure is yet to be confirmed by the RTO. A case has been filed, and an investigation is going on.
