Four young men were killed and two others injured after an SUV met with a horrific accident on the Pune-Satara highway in Maharashtra’s Satara district early Tuesday, police said. The victims were reportedly travelling towards Mahabaleshwar when the crash occurred near Shirwal in Khandala tehsil.
According to preliminary information, the vehicle was travelling along the Pune-Bengaluru National Highway when the driver apparently lost control. The SUV first hit a road divider and overturned. It then crossed over into the opposite carriageway and collided with an oncoming Eicher truck.
The impact was severe, leaving the car badly damaged. Four occupants died in the accident, while two others suffered injuries. Emergency services and local authorities reached the spot soon after the crash and shifted the injured to a nearby hospital for treatment.
The victims were reportedly friends from Pune district and were on their way to Mahabaleshwar for a trip. According to reports, the accident took place near Hotel Shivalay on the highway. The crash occurred during the early hours, when traffic was relatively light.
The incident caused concern among other motorists and briefly affected traffic movement on the busy highway. Police and local personnel worked to clear the damaged vehicles and restore normal traffic flow.
Authorities have begun investigating the circumstances leading to the crash. Police are expected to examine whether excessive speed, driver fatigue, road conditions or other factors contributed to the accident. At this stage, officials have not established a definitive cause.
The tragedy has once again highlighted concerns over road safety on the Pune-Satara and Pune-Bengaluru highway corridors, which carry heavy traffic throughout the day. Accidents involving high-speed vehicles and heavy trucks remain a serious concern on major highways in Maharashtra
