Pune: Mini Bus Falls In Varandha Ghat On Bhor-Mahad Route; Driver Dead, 4 Passengers Injured
Varandha Ghat, 8th October 2023: On Saturday around midnight, a seventeen-seater mini bus traveling from Swargate (Swargate) to Mahad-Chiplun via Bhor met with a serious accident between Warwand and Shirgaon in Shirgaon (Bhor) limits.
The bus, with registration number MH 08 AP 1530, left the roadway and plunged into a ravine approximately 50 to 60 feet deep beside a dam. While a major catastrophe was narrowly averted as the bus came to rest just five feet from the dam’s water. Bus driver Ajinkya Kolte has died in the accident.
All other passengers on board the ill-fated bus escaped with their lives. Among the ten to eleven passengers, three to four sustained injuries and have been promptly admitted to Bhor Sub-District Hospital for medical treatment.
Preliminary information suggests that the accident occurred due to a loss of control over the vehicle, presumably stemming from a miscalculation on the part of the driver. The aftermath of the incident saw four individuals from the bus successfully reach the road from the valley. A passing motorist promptly alerted Datta Pol, the owner of Sahyadri hotel in close proximity to the accident site, who, in turn, mobilized a group of young heroes including Akshay Dhumal, Bhima Pol, and Santosh Pawar from Shirgaon. With quick thinking and bravery, they secured the bus using a rope and extricated the passengers from the submerged vehicle.
Simultaneously, upon receiving word of the incident, officers from Bhor Police Station, including Police Inspector Shankar Patil, Police Constables Dattatray Khengre, Sunil Chavan, Chetan Kumhar, and Atul More, swiftly arrived at the scene. Teaming up with Sahyadri Rescue’s Sachin Deshmukh and his team, they efficiently coordinated the rescue efforts, ensuring the safe evacuation of the accident victims, who were subsequently transported to the hospital for medical attention.
Present at the scene were Dr. Aniket Mangle and healthcare professionals from Ambwade Health Center, Manjushree Chikane, and Dilip Devghare, providing crucial medical support during this critical time.
