7 killed, 6 injured in accident near Kopargaon

KOPARGAON, MAY 6

A container traveling from Kopargaon to Zagadephata in Kopargaon tehsil hit the Ape rickshaw near Pagare Vasti. Seven people died on the spot and six others were seriously injured in the accident. The incident took place around 8 am in the today on Friday. The container bearing number PB 05 AB 4006 was on route from Raipur to Mumbai via Aurangabad. It was loaded with iron rods. The driver's name is Darshan Singh Gajan Singh (age 41). He has been arrested by Kopargaon city police. The rickshaw number is MH17 AG9056 and it belongs to Vilas Sahebrao Kharat from Chandekasare.

The injured were identified as three persons in a rickshaw and three persons on a two-wheeler. A total of ten passengers including the driver were traveling in the rickshaw. Six persons were killed on the spot and one while undergoing treatment in the hospital. Hence, the total number of death toll reached to seven now while six persons are being treated. Of them, two were injured when the same container hit a motorcycle. They are undergoing treatment at a private hospital. The container driver was passing by with his container after the incident. After the incident came to the notice of former Sarpanch Keshavrao Hon and Sarpanch Sanjay Gursal, they chased the container with the help of village youths and caught the container near Zagdephata. When Keshavrao Hon informed Inspector Vasudev Desale, he also rushed to the spot.

The deceased have been identified as Rajabai Sahebrao Kharat (60, Chandeksare), Atmaram Jammansa Nakode (65, Wavi village), Pooja Nanasaheb Gaikwad (20, Hinganvedhe), Pragati Madhukar Hon (20, Shrirampur), Shaila Shivaji Kharat (42, Shrirampur), Shivaji Maruti Kharat (52, Shrirampur) and Rupali Sagar Rathod (40).

The bodies were sent to Kopargaon Rural Hospital for post mortem.

Persons injured in the accident are Rathod Rupali Sagar (10), Rathod Dhruv Sagar (15), Chaudhary Krishnabai Govind (42), Chaudhary Sarvesh Digambar (12, Pohegaon), Kharat Kaveri Vilas (5, Zagde phata) , Vilas Sahebrao Kharat (30) and undergoing treatment.

Kopargaon city police rushed to the spot and immediately sent the injured for treatment with the help of locals. A case has been registered against the container driver at Kopargaon city police station.

Deceased Pragati Madhukar Hon was studying SYBA at Somaiya College, Kopargaon. As ST buses are not travelling in the area at present, students have to go to college by any means available. That is why Pragati took the support of Ape rickshaw but this support came to her life. If such incidents are to be stopped, the parents of the students have demanded that the Kopargaon bus depot should start buses for the students of Kopargaon tehsil in every village .