A 23-year-old girl died and five others were injured after their car hit a gas tanker on Tuesday at midnight near Mandap village in Khalapur along the Mumbai-Pune Expressway. Police said that the car going towards Pune from Mumbai hit the tanker that took a U-turn suddenly without giving any indication. Both the vehicles were going in the same direction.
While the girl died on the spot, five other persons from the car received injuries and were admitted to MGM Hospital in Kamothe. Police said that the driver of the gas tanker fled after the incident and also switched off his mobile number.
The deceased was identified as Archana Kisan Raut, a resident of Kokan Nagar in Chembur and she was studying at Vivekanand Education Society college in Chembur.
Sarla Kale, the investigating officer from Khalapur police station said that the incident took place around 2 am when both the vehicles were going towards Pune from Mumbai. “The gas tanker driver took a U-turn without giving any indication, and the car that was coming from behind at high speed hit the tanker,” said Kale, adding that the deceased who was sitting on the front seat of the car received injuries on her head and died on the spot. Others including the driver of the car received injuries and they have been admitted to MGM Hospital in Kamothe, and their condition is said to be stable. Kale said that an official has gone to the hospital to record a statement.
Meanwhile, a case has been registered against the driver for rash driving under sections 304-A, 279, 238 of IPC and sections 184 and 134 of the Motor Vehicle Act and a manhunt has been launched.
