Two people died and three were injured after a car dashed against a tree on the old Mumbai-Pune highway around 10.30 p.m. on Sunday.
According to the police, the injured, including the driver, are not in a condition to give statements. “Prima facie, it seems the driver was overspeeding and after he lost control of the car, it rammed into a tree after which the car rolled over. Two died on the spot, and the injured were rushed to Panvel municipal hospital,” senior police inspector Ashok Rajput, Panvel Taluka police station, said.
The accident occurred at Bhokarpada when the five in a car were going towards Panvel from Khalapur in Raigad district, to meet a friend. The deceased have been identified as Bhanudas Namdev Malkar (40), a resident of Talavali village, and Sarvesh Lakshman Mali (22), a resident of Rasayani. The injured are Sandesh Vitthal Lahane (35), Rajesh Purangale, and driver Praveen Gaikwad. A case has been registered by Mr. Lahane against Mr. Gaikwad.
According to the police, prima facie, it does not look like a case of drunk driving. “The accident spot is one lane and a smooth road, and hence people tend to overspeed. There are no proper street lights which causes poor vision. We have written to the authorities concerned to have speed breakers, but we have been told that as per rules, national highways can’t have speed breakers unless there is a village nearby. This particular spot has no village,” senior police inspector Ashok Naik, Panvel traffic division, said.