A pathology laboratory owner, Yashwant Pandurang Mane, 45, his wife Sharada, 40, and their 19 year old son Hrishikesh along with their driver Ramchandra Krishna Surve were killed in a car crash at 4am on Monday. This tragic incident has saddened the residents of Chunabhatti where Mane ran the Shubhangi Pathological Laboratory. He has been described as a helpful and sincere man and the family lived at the Chunabhatti’s Baba Tower for many years.
The accident occurred at 4am on Monday when the family was returning after visiting their village in Satara. They had earlier dropped off their daughter to a medical institute in Mayani in Khatav taluka of Satara district where she studied.
Their son Hrishikesh studied in a college in Mumbai and was with the couple at the time of the accident. The Maruti Alto in which the family was travelling hit a truck from behind at the new Katraj tunnel on NH40. Hrishikesh was at the wheel at the time of the accident while the driver, Surve was sitting next to him. All four occupants died on the spot after suffering severe head injuries. The car was a mangled mess.
Senior police inspector Kamlakar Takawale and inspector Rajkumar Wakchaure who arrived at the scene of the accident on being alerted by the truck driver stated that the car appeared to be speeding down a curve after emerging from the tunnel. Hrishikesh apparently lost control of the vehicle, veered to the left and crashed into the truck ahead. The impact was such that the car broke the crash bar at the rear of the truck and rear suspension and got stuck beneath the car. It was dragged for a good 30 mtrs before the truck driver could stop.
This accident once again brings to attention the dangers of rash and high speed driving. It also puts into focus the perils of late night driving where drowsiness is another big risk factor. The bodies of the deceased were taken to the Sassoon Hospital for post mortem and were later handed over to the relatives. Police have filed case against the now deceased driver, Hrishikesh for negligent driving.
