Wakad real estate entrepreneur dies after Fortuner crashes into tempo on Mumbai-Pune Expressway

The Fortuner SUV after the crash; (right) Tushar Vaman Bhumkar, the deceased. Pics/By Special arrangement

Wakad-based real estate entrepreneur Tushar Vaman Bhumkar died after his Fortuner SUV collided with a slow-moving tempo inside the Mumbai-Pune Expressway's Missing Link tunnel. According to the Khandala Highway Police Centre, the crash occurred around 1.20 am on August 7 on the Pune-to-Mumbai carriageway near kilometre marker CP-12.

Tragic impact

The preliminary report stated that the goods tempo (MH 01 CR 7075) had slowed down inside the tunnel. The Fortuner SUV (MH 14 MG 0007) coming from behind allegedly went out of control and rammed into the rear of the tempo. The impact caused both the vehicles to overturn.

Cop speaks...

‘The accident occurred inside the nearly nine-kilometre-long Missing Link tunnel - one of the most critical stretches of the Mumbai-Pune Expressway. The crash temporarily disrupted traffic on the expressway. Emergency personnel spent several hours clearing the overturned vehicles before restoring normal traffic flow."

Rescue operation

Emergency responders - including Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation Ltd staff, IRB teams, Devdoot rescue personnel, and highway police - rushed to the scene to extricate passengers from the wreckage and take them to hospitals. Tragically, Bhumkar succumbed to critical injuries. Another passenger sustained serious injuries, while three occupants in the Fortuner escaped with minor harm.

Community mourns

The tragedy leaves behind his wife and two toddlers, aged three and one. His wife had contested the municipal elections earlier this year on a Congress ticket from Ward 25. Local business partners and residents in Wakad described the affluent, politically connected builder as exceptionally humble, respectful, and down-to-earth.

‘Free of ego in work and life'

Yuvraj Chavan, Tushar's colleague
‘Tushar was a prominent real estate figure in Pune, but above all, a deeply cultured and down-to-earth person. Despite his influential background and family status, he remained remarkably humble and completely free of ego in his work and daily life.'

Probe on

Police are reviewing CCTV footage, speeds, and braking patterns to determine whether stationary or slow-moving vehicles inside the tunnel contributed to the crash.