In a tragic incident, three highly decomposed bodies were discovered on Thursday inside a car that had fallen into a nullah near Umbermali village along the Mumbai-Nashik highway. Police believe the vehicle had been lying undetected in the dense foliage for nearly five days following a suspected road accident.
The grim discovery was made when a local woman grazing cattle in the area noticed a foul smell and spotted the half-submerged car hidden by thick vegetation. She alerted nearby villagers, who in turn contacted the authorities. A team from the Kasara police and the disaster management unit rushed to the scene and recovered the bodies.
The deceased have been identified as:
Yadnesh Waghela, a resident of Khar, employed at a call centre
Pravin Kumar Singh (27), from Powai
Rajabali Sheikh (29), from Kurla
According to preliminary information, the three close friends had left Mumbai on the night of June 2 to visit Trimbakeshwar in Nashik. While Yadnesh had informed his family about the trip, the other two had reportedly said they would return the same night, without disclosing their destination. Their families later filed missing person complaints at Khar, Vinoba Bhave, and Powai police stations when they failed to return.
The car, registered in Mumbai, is suspected to have veered off the highway and crashed into the nullah. "We believe the driver lost control, causing the car to plunge off the road. Due to the thick undergrowth and secluded location, the wreckage remained hidden for days," said a senior officer from Shahapur division.
The bodies have been sent for post-mortem examinations. Forensic experts are also being consulted to ascertain the exact cause of death and rule out any possibility of foul play.