By Savikalpa Thapa
A pick-up van stacked with more than 35 passengers including women and children digressed off a sharp ghat road near Papalwadi in Khed taluka, Pune killing 10 women. The vehicle, reportedly unable to climb the incline, plunged roughly 25–30 feet into a gorge while carrying devotees to the Kundeshwar Mahadev Temple on a sacred Shravan Monday.
Authorities confirmed that ten women lost their lives and 27 others again, primarily women and children who were injured and rushed to hospitals for emergency care . Families, already grappling with trauma, waited anxiously in hospital ICUs, hoping for word on loved ones. Several patients, like Mangal Darekar, remain critical and are undergoing surgeries A final video captured their cheerful spirits moments before the accident. The absence of guardrails on the steep ghat road likely intensified the crash’s severity.
Police confirmed that 25-year-old Rushikesh Ramdas Karande, who had been at the wheel during the crash, escaped with injuries and has since been arrested. He is facing charges including culpable homicide not amounting to murder, rash and negligent driving, and illegal transportation under the Motor Vehicles Act.
Ajit Pawar, Maharashtra’s Deputy CM described the accident as “extremely tragic and painful.”The state government has said it will provide ₹4 lakh in ex-gratia relief to the next of kin of every victim.
Further, Prime Narendra Modi announced Rs 2 lakh from the PM National Relief Fund for each victim’s kin, plus Rs 50,000 for those injured.
Rescue operations kicked in immediately after the crash, with police and health teams rushing survivors to nearby government and private hospitals. Investigations are underway to determine whether overloading, driver error, or road conditions triggered the disaster.
This tragedy has left a heavy mark on Papalwadi and the surrounding region. As investigators dig deeper, the community mourns ten lives lost on what was meant to be a day of faith.