In a devastating incident on Sunday evening, six members of a family lost their lives after the car they were travelling in plunged approximately 700 feet into a deep gorge at the Saptashrungi hills in Maharashtra's Nashik district. The group was returning from a pilgrimage to the revered Saptashrungi temple when the tragedy struck around 5 pm.
Victims Identified as Family from Pimpalgaon Baswant
The deceased have been identified as relatives from Pimpalgaon Baswant in Niphad taluka. The victims include Kirti Patel (55), Rashilaben Patel (55), Vitthal Patel (65), Lata Vitthal Patel (60), Paachan Patel (70), and Maniben Patel (55). According to Superintendent of Police Balasaheb Patil, the group comprised three men and three women, all related to each other. The family had visited the Trimbakeshwar temple earlier on the same day before proceeding to the Saptashrungi temple.
How the Saptashrungi Hills Accident Unfolded
Tehsildar Rohidas Warule provided details on the probable cause of the accident. "While descending the ghat section, the vehicle reached a spot near a waterfall where drivers are required to slow down and carefully navigate a turn," Warule explained. He stated that instead of negotiating the turn safely, the car collided with the protective wall on the left side and subsequently trolled down the steep hillside.
Eyewitnesses and occupants of other vehicles on the route quickly raised an alarm upon witnessing the horrifying accident. They immediately contacted the local police and other emergency response agencies to initiate rescue operations.
Massive Rescue Operation Launched at the Gorge
A multi-agency rescue effort was swiftly mobilized. Sandeep Benke, the deputy sarpanch of Saptashrungi gram panchayat, detailed the response. "As soon as we received the information, officials from the gram panchayat, the Saptashrungi Niwasini Trust disaster management team, volunteers from the district disaster management teams, the funicular trolley management team, police, and health officials rushed to the location," Benke said.
Despite the rapid response, the severity of the crash left no chance of survival. Benke added, "The impact of the fall was too severe for the pilgrims to survive." The challenging, rugged terrain of the gorge made the recovery operation difficult. Tehsildar Warule confirmed that the work to retrieve the bodies continued late into Sunday evening.
This tragic incident on the Saptashrungi hills road has once again highlighted the dangers associated with ghat sections in the region, especially for pilgrims visiting popular temples. Authorities are likely to review safety measures on the stretch to prevent such heartbreaking accidents in the future.
