Representational.
Thane: At least 11 people were killed in a devastating road accident in the Thane district of Maharashtra after a van collided head-on with a cement mixer truck. The accident occurred on the Raite bridge near Goveli village in Murbad.
According to officials, the victims include eight men and three women. Most of them died on the spot due to the impact. Two others sustained critical injuries and were shifted to Central Hospital in Ulhasnagar, where their condition remains serious.
Eyewitnesses said the van was travelling at high speed from Kalyan towards Murbad when it rammed into the oncoming cement mixer. The crash took place on a bridge, complicating rescue efforts as the vehicles had to be cut open to pull out those trapped inside.
Authorities confirmed that six bodies have been identified so far, while efforts are ongoing to establish the identities of the remaining victims. Preliminary indications suggest that the passengers in the van may have been members of a single family or a group of neighbours.
The impact of the collision brought traffic to a complete standstill on the Kalyan–Ahilyanagar road for several hours. The route was cleared only after cranes were deployed to remove the wreckage.
Murbad Tehsildar Abhijit Deshmukh reached the spot and led the rescue operations. Thane Rural Police have registered a case and launched an investigation to determine whether overspeeding or structural issues with the bridge contributed to the accident.