Four passengers of a luxury bus were killed, and 15 others were injured after a collision involving four vehicles a luxury bus, a container truck, and two tempos early Wednesday morning near Shahapur village, 30 kilometers from Bhiwandi city.
The deceased have been identified as Piyush Patil (31), an employee of the BMC, his wife Vrinda Patil (29), a primary school teacher, Rohini Sagar Haylinge (29), who was five months pregnant, and her daughter Pari Sagar Haylinge (5), residents of Varap village in Kalyan.
The tragic incident occurred at 4:00 AM on the Mumbai-Nashik Highway near Gotheghar village in Shahapur. A tempo van heading towards Nashik from Mumbai lost control, crashed into a divider, and veered onto the opposite lane. A container truck traveling towards Mumbai attempted to avoid the tempo but ended up braking suddenly and veering left, colliding with the luxury bus and another tempo.
The collision caused severe damage to the bus, particularly the rear section where the victims were seated. Four passengers died due to the impact, while 15 others, including the driver and other passengers, sustained injuries.
The injured were rushed to the Primary Healthcare Center in Shahapur. Some were later referred to hospitals in Thane for advanced treatment. Dr. Salman Shaikh from the Shahapur center confirmed that three individuals—Piyush Patil, Vrinda Patil, and Rohini Haylinge—died due to excessive blood loss and hemorrhage.
Jitendra Thakur, Senior Police Inspector of Shahapur Police Station, stated, "An FIR has been registered against the tempo driver, identified as Inamdar, under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita and the Motor Vehicle Act. Preliminary investigations suggest that a tire burst caused the driver to lose control, leading to the collision."
Rohini Haylinge, a 29-year-old pregnant mother, was traveling with her two daughters, Pari (5) and Sai (3), to their matrimonial home in Varap village, Kalyan. Her in-laws, Machindra and Varuna Haylinge, accompanied her on the journey. Tragically, Rohini and Pari lost their lives in the accident, while Sai sustained injuries.
Machindra Haylinge recounted the incident, stating that the bus was mangled, and passengers were trapped inside, screaming for help. "The collision was intense, and many passengers suffered serious injuries," he said.
Rohini’s father, Sharad Magare, revealed that his daughter had been subjected to mental and physical harassment by her husband, Sagar Haylinge. She had filed a complaint against him and had been staying at her maternal home in Malegaon. Despite their reservations, Sagar’s parents persuaded them to allow Rohini to return to her matrimonial home.
The Patil family from Badlapur also suffered devastating losses. Piyush Patil, his wife Vrinda, and their daughter Rutika (5) were returning home after a trip to Jalgaon. Piyush and Vrinda died in the accident, while Rutika is undergoing treatment at a hospital in Thane.
Dr. Piyush Chaudhry from Shahapur’s Primary Healthcare Center stated, "A total of 19 people were injured in the accident. Of them, four were declared dead upon arrival."
Police continue to investigate the accident, while grieving families mourn the loss of their loved ones.