A teenage girl’s joy on her big day turns to heartwrenching grief as her mother, grandparents, and a friend’s child die in a tragic road accident
A container truck from Satara collided with a car near Navale Bridge, killing eight people. Pic/By Special Arrangement
A birthday celebration turned into a tragedy on Thursday when a Std X girl’s mother, grandparents, and a family friend’s five-year-old daughter died in a road accident near Navale Bridge.
Swati Santosh Navalkar, 37, her parents, Shanta, 54, Dattatraya Dabhade, and her neighbour’s daughter, Mokshita Hemantkumar Reddy, were returning from Narayanpur Datt Temple when a container truck from Satara collided with their car. The family had gone to the temple to fulfil a vow for Dattatraya Dabhade’s recovery from paralysis.
Driver Dhananjay Koli also died on the spot. Three additional victims, including two from the truck, are yet to be identified. The incident has left the Dhayari–Vadgaon Khurd and Moshi communities in mourning. Neighbours described the loss of three generations and a young child as “beyond words.”
Swati Santosh Navalkar, victim; (right) Mokshita Hemantkumar Reddy, victim
Pune MP and Union Minister of State Murlidhar Mohol, along with Khadakwasla MLA Bhimrao Tapkir, PMC Commissioner Naval Kishore Ram, Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar, and NHAI official Sanjay Kadam, visited the site on Friday. Mohol said, “Although several safety interventions were implemented after a major accident in 2022 — including additional rumblers, increased speed-gun surveillance, and closure of puncture repair spots — Thursday’s tragedy underscores the need to accelerate long-term solutions.”
He added that a 32-km elevated road from Jambhulwadi to Sutarwadi and Sutarwadi to Ravet, costing around Rs 6000 crore, has been approved as a long-term measure. The Detailed Project Report (DPR) is sanctioned, and authorities will follow up with Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari to expedite the project.
A joint meeting of PMC, NHAI, PMRDA, and district authorities is scheduled for Saturday to finalise actions. “If lack of coordination is found, action will be taken,” Mohol warned.
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