03 November,2026 08:27 AM IST | Mumbai | Samiullah Khan
The impact of the crash caused the steering wheel and front of the cabin to be crushed inward
The Vanrai police displayed remarkable courage and presence of mind by rescuing a truck driver who got trapped inside the mangled cabin of his vehicle following a horrific highway accident near the NESCO Exhibition Centre in Goregaon on the morning of October 30. The driver, Vinod Kumar Yadav, was pinned inside the cabin after his truck (MH-47-AS-7023) rammed into a dumper.
The impact was so severe that the truck's front bumper, steering wheel, and cabin were crushed towards the driver's seat, trapping both his legs between twisted metal sheets. Shattered glass also left him injured, while he struggled to breathe inside the wreckage.
[popcorn number="October 30" desc="Day the accident occurred" class="Default"]
The space where the driver got trapped
On receiving information about the accident, police vehicles Mobile-1, Mobile-3 and Marshal-2 rushed to the spot. Police Inspector Subhashchandra Posture, who was on night duty and conducting patrol in the area, also immediately reached the accident site.
"The situation was critical as both doors of the truck had been badly damaged and could not be opened. Realising that the driver's condition was deteriorating, the police personnel decided not to wait for the fire brigade. They carefully entered the cabin through the shattered front windscreen, sprinkled water on the driver's face to keep him conscious, and continuously reassured him while efforts were made to pull him," said an officer.
The damaged truck after the driver was rescued. PICS/BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
The operation was carried out through the coordinated efforts of Senior PI Abdul Rauf Gani Shaikh, Vanrai police night-duty Police Inspector Subhashchandra Posture, personnel from Mobile-1, Mobile-3 and Marshal-2 teams, and the driver and operator of the other truck. The police said Yadav is conscious and recovering.
When attempts to manually move the crushed metal failed, the policemen came up with an improvised rescue plan. They brought a rope from the truck, tied one end to a police vehicle and the other to the crushed metal section near the driver's side. However, the metal refused to budge. The police then sought assistance from another trucker passing by.
With the rope attached to his vehicle, the police and the truck driver coordinated their efforts to carefully pull the crushed metal section outward, creating enough space for the trapped driver to be pulled out. "We carefully extricated Yadav and shifted him to Trauma Care Hospital in a police vehicle, where doctors began emergency treatment. His condition is said to be stable," said another officer.
While rescue operation was underway, the accident triggered a massive traffic jam on the highway. The damaged truck was also carrying perishable goods, raising concerns that the cargo could deteriorate if left stranded for long. The police managed traffic and called a towing vehicle to remove the damaged truck from the highway. Necessary arrangements were also made for the removal and disposal of perishable goods.
