The mangled jeep after the accident that took place at the hilly stretch of Khadki ghat. (Express Photo) Six persons were killed and around 18 injured when a vehicle carrying them fell into a 400-ft deep gorge near Toranmal in Nandurbar district — 460 km north of Mumbai.
The accident took place around 10.30 am at the hilly stretch of Khadki ghat. Nearly 30 villagers, mostly tribals from Dhadgaon village, had piled up in the Bolero jeep to cross over to neighbouring Gujarat for work early Saturday.
The accident occurred near Khadki point when the driver is said to have lost control, which caused the jeep to hurtle nearly 400-ft into the gorge.
Of the six who were killed, five were women. Among the 18 people injured, eight are said to be serious.
Some of the remaining passengers were saved after they jumped out of the jeep in the nick of time.
Due to the remoteness of the location, where the accident occurred, survivors had to walk for 2 km to seek help from the nearby village of Toranmal.
Mahendra Pandit, Nandurbar’s Superintendent of Police, said, “As per the initial information, at least six persons have died and seven suffered injuries.”
The injured have been taken to Toranmal Rural Hospital and Nandurbar Civil Hospital.
Following the accident, tthe Maharashtra government announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh for each of the
deceased.