Truck hits vehicle, 32 people carrying 'Shivjyoti' injured in Pune

PUNE: At least 32 people, including 15 teenagers, were injured as a truck crashed into a light commercial vehicle, which in turn hit a bike and runners, part of a group carrying "Shivjyoti" from Malhargad near Saswad to Shilatane village in Maval taluka, at Tathawade on Katraj-Dehu Road bypass around 4.30am on Friday.
The Hinjewadi police have detained the driver and the cleaner of the truck. Deputy commissioner of police Kakasaheb Dole told TOI that 32 participants were injured in the accident.
Some teenagers were travelling in the light commercial vehicle, two were on a motorcycle and the rest were on the road with the "Shivjyoti". "They are being treated at three private hospitals - two at Somatane and one at Ravet. The condition of two youths is critical," Dole said.
Sanket Bhanusghare, a resident of Shilatane, said "Shivjyoti" was brought to the village every year on the Shiv Jayanti day from different forts. "This year, about 35 people, including 15 in the age group of 12 to 17, had gone to Malhargad on Wednesday. All of them were expected to return with the 'Shivjyoti' on Friday morning," he said.
He said the accident occurred around 4.30am at Tathawade, along the Katraj-Dehu Road bypass. A truck heading towards Dehu Road crashed into the vehicle in which most of the teenagers were sleeping. "The driver of the vehicle lost control and dashed the motorcycle as well as the group of men on the road," Bhanusghare said.
He said some of the 32 injured participants had suffered fractures on hands and legs. An administrative officer from one of the two private hospitals at Somatane said, "A total of 20 injured people are undergoing treatment in our hospital. Seven of them are in the ICU," she said.
A Hinjewadi police officer said, "We have registered a case against the truck owner for abusing the rally's participants. The prima facie probe revealed that the accident may have occurred because the driver dozed off."