Buldhana: Two separate accidents occurred within hours of each other on the Samruddhi Expressway in Buldhana district, resulting in one fatality and at least 27 injuries since Sunday night.
First Accident Near Donggaon
The first accident took place late Sunday near Donggaon in Mehkar tehsil when a car rammed into a stationary truck. The incident was reported around 12:15 am near the Andhud area. According to police, the truck driver had not switched on the vehicle's hazard lights nor placed reflective warning signs. Due to reduced visibility at night, the car driver failed to spot the truck and collided with it from behind. Krishna Sangeet Rathod (26), a resident of Somnath Nagar in Washim district, died on the spot. The front portion of the car was completely mangled, and other occupants sustained serious injuries. They were rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment.
A complaint was filed by Hemant Chavan (38), a resident of Yavatmal district, who was traveling in the same car with his relatives. Donggaon police have registered a case against the truck driver for negligence.
Second Accident Near Mehkar
A few hours later, another crash near Mehkar left dozens of passengers injured. The second accident occurred at around 4:20 am on Monday when a private travels bus heading for Nagpur collided with a truck. The crash happened close to Pimpri Mali village on the Nagpur corridor under Mehkar police station limits.
The bus was traveling from Pune to Nagpur when its driver allegedly lost control and collided with a truck moving ahead. Following the accident, the truck driver fled the scene along with the vehicle. Police have launched a manhunt to trace him.
The impact left several passengers trapped inside the bus. Teams from the Samruddhi Expressway Fardapur unit and Mehkar police, assisted by local social worker and journalist Santosh Malose, started rescue efforts. Police sub-inspector Arvind Tirankar and his team, along with emergency services, rescued the injured passengers. Ambulances under the 108 service rushed victims to Mehkar Rural Hospital.
Of the 27 injured, 15 sustained serious injuries while 12 suffered minor injuries. After initial treatment, critically injured patients were referred to other hospitals, while some were shifted to private hospitals by their relatives.
Following the accident, traffic on the expressway was disrupted briefly. Authorities cleared the damaged bus using cranes and restored normal movement by around 9 am. Police have registered a case and are investigating further.
