A major accident occurred early Sunday morning on the Mumbai–Goa highway, creating panic in the Hatkhamba area. According to initial reports, a speeding goods truck lost control and rammed into four vehicles ahead of it with great force. The impact caused significant damage to the vehicles involved. In a dramatic turn, the truck veered off the road and plunged into a nearby well. Authorities suspect that the truck driver may be trapped beneath the vehicle, raising concerns among rescuers. Despite the intensity of the crash, no fatalities have been reported so far, offering a sense of relief.
As soon as information about the mishap spread, local residents rushed to the spot and alerted the police. Responding swiftly, rural police and highway police teams reached the scene and initiated rescue operations. Injured individuals were immediately shifted to a nearby hospital for medical treatment. While the exact cause of the accident remains unclear, preliminary findings suggest that the driver lost control due to high speed. The crash also resulted in extensive damage to other vehicles. Notably, this stretch has witnessed several accidents in the past, yet no concrete preventive measures have been implemented by authorities. Traffic movement, however, was restored soon after.
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Earlier on April 3, a private bus transporting 45 employees of Panvel-based Om Estate Services Private Limited to Goa overturned on the Mumbai–Goa Highway (NH-66). The tragic accident occurred around 2:30 am in the treacherous Sukeli Khind ghat section near Nagothane. Two high-ranking members of the firm, Naim Nizam Sheikh and Neelam Vibhute, were killed, while approximately 38 others sustained injuries. Witnesses reported that the driver was speeding excessively and failed to navigate a sharp uphill bend. Despite repeated pleas from passengers to slow down during the journey, the driver allegedly ignored these warnings, leading to the fatal crash.
Emergency responders and local villagers worked for over an hour to extricate victims from the wreckage, with some passengers pinned beneath the vehicle. The injured were distributed across several hospitals, where many remain in critical condition with severe head, chest, and pelvic trauma. Consequently, the police have booked the driver, Hemant Patil, for rash driving and causing death by negligence under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Investigations are currently focused on technical vehicle inspections and the road’s geometry, while authorities are also awaiting medical reports to determine if the driver was intoxicated at the time of the collision.