Couple killed, son critical after reckless tempo hits bike; their journey to meet ailing father ends in tragedy

• Tempo driver made sudden U-turn on flyover, crushing family’s two-wheeler

Lokmat News Network

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar

A family’s plan to visit an ailing father turned into a devastating tragedy when a tempo driver’s reckless U-turn claimed two lives on Thursday morning.

The victims Gajanan Gumladu (38) and his wife Radha (32) died on the spot, while their 14-year-old son Vishal was seriously injured in the accident that occurred around 11 a.m. near Kanchanwadi on the Solapur-Dhule highway. The Gumladu family, residents of Varzhadi village in Malivada, lived with their two children, parents, and Gajanan’s brother. Gajanan worked as a crane operator. Concerned about her father’s ill health, Radha decided to visit him in Badnapur, and the family set out on their two-wheeler around 10 am. While crossing the flyover near Kanchanwadi, a tempo driver abruptly stopped and made a sudden U-turn into the opposite lane. Gajanan’s bike, unable to avoid the vehicle, rammed directly into it. The powerful impact threw all three riders onto the tempo, killing Gajanan and Radha instantly.

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Severe injuries to son

Vishal suffered fractures in his right arm and leg at multiple points. A sharp metal part from the tempo pierced his chest, leaving him unconscious beside his deceased parents. Locals rushed the family to the hospital by ambulance. Vishal is now in the critical care unit. Police inspector Krishna Shinde of Satara police station is investigating the case.

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Family in shock

Before leaving home, Gajanan and Radha had told their elder son to return early that night. But within just two hours, their lives were lost. At the hospital mortuary, their elder son struggled to accept the truth, while relatives broke down in tears. The family’s wish to visit Radha’s ailing father remained heartbreakingly unfulfilled.