Navi Mumbai: Fatal Accident on Old Sion-Panvel Highway Claims One Life and Injures Four
Navi Mumbai, 24th July 2024: A tragic accident on the Old Sion-Panvel Highway early Monday morning resulted in one fatality and four injuries. The incident involved a group of six youths returning from a visit to the Ekvira Temple. The accident occurred around 6 am as the group was heading back to their home in Owale Village, Uran, following a day-long pilgrimage to the temple in Lonavala.
The driver, Ajay Vishnu Gire, 21, reportedly lost control of the vehicle, which overturned on the highway, leading to his immediate death. Among the other passengers, Gajanan Devkar, 22, sustained serious injuries, while Nilesh Manjulkar, 19, Subash Mali, 24, Dnyaneshwar Mali, 23, and Gopal Mali, 19, sustained minor injuries.
A police officer from the Panvel police station stated, “We have charged the driver with reckless and negligent driving resulting in death.” According to the police, the group had set out on their pilgrimage on Sunday and stopped at a friend’s place in Talegaon on their return journey. They resumed their trip around 2 am Monday. The vehicle was initially driven by Gopal Mali after a brief stop in Lonavala, after which Gire took over the wheel.
The police suspect that Gire may have fallen asleep while driving, contributing to the loss of control and subsequent accident.
