A 22-year-old man was killed and another sustained serious injuries after a container truck rammed into a pickup vehicle on the Mumbai–Bengaluru highway near Navale bridge in Pune on Monday morning, police said.
The accident took place at around 8.05 am near Narhe on the Mumbai-bound carriageway. According to the police, a container truck (MH 04 MH 6303), driven by Imran Abdul Jamadar, allegedly hit a pickup vehicle (MH 42 AQ 6142) from behind at high speed, indicating rash and negligent driving.
The impact proved fatal for the pickup driver, Mahadev Uttam Shende, 22, who died on the spot. Another occupant, Sumit Dattu Kamble, 22, sustained serious injuries and was rushed to a private hospital for treatment.
Following the initial collision, the pickup vehicle crashed into another goods vehicle, a Tata Eicher (MH 46 DC 3799), resulting in a three-vehicle pile-up, officials said.
Traffic on the busy highway stretch was briefly affected before the police cleared the damaged vehicles and restored normal flow. A case has been registered.
Eyewitness accounts and preliminary findings suggest speeding may have led to the crash. The force of the collision reportedly left the pickup vehicle wedged between heavy vehicles, worsening the damage.
Senior inspector Asaram Shete said the accident led to heavy traffic congestion on the Katraj-Dehu Road bypass.
