Dead truck driver, cleaner booked over Pune crash that killed 8; FIR against vehicle owner too

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The Pune police have registered a case of culpable homicide against the deceased driver and cleaner of a truck involved in a horrific crash that killed eight persons and injured 14 others, officials said on Friday, reported news agency PTI.

Police said the owner of the truck has also been booked.

Eight persons were killed and 14 others injured after a car got crushed between two large container trucks, with a huge fire engulfing all three vehicles on the Mumbai-Bengaluru highway in Pune on Thursday evening.

The deadly accident involving multiple vehicles occurred on the Navale Bridge, infamous as an accident-prone stretch, reported PTI.

Police said the driver of a heavy container truck going towards Mumbai lost control of the vehicle due to a suspected brake failure. The truck hit a few vehicles in its way, including a mini-bus, before ramming into another big container in front.

A car was caught between these two trucks and got crushed badly, Deputy Commissioner of Police Sambhaji Kadam had said on Thursday.

The deceased truck driver, Rustam Khan (35), and cleaner Mushtaq Khan (31) hailed from Rajasthan, police said, reported PTI.

Truck owner Tahir Khan (45) was not in the vehicle at the time of the accident, they said, reported PTI.

"We have registered an offence against the driver and the cleaner, both dead, and the owner of the truck for culpable homicide under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and under relevant sections of the Motor Vehicles Act," an official said, reported PTI.

According to the police, all five occupants of the car were killed. The victims, a part of a family, were returning home from Narayanpur, a religious place in Pune district. The eighth victim has been identified as a resident of Satara district.

Police suspect the CNG kit in the car exploded following the impact, which led to the fire.

Union minister and Pune MP Murlidhar Mohol is scheduled to visit the accident spot along with officials from the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI), Pune civic body and police, said officials, reported PTI.

The slope on the Navale Bridge (Satara-Mumbai lane) on the Bengaluru-Mumbai Highway has been the site of several accidents.

(With inputs from PTI)