Fleeing after hitting bike, car collides with tempo; four dead

Four young men lost their lives after the car they were travelling in collided head-on with a tempo on Paud Road in the early hours of Thursday. Moments earlier, the car had hit a bike on the same stretch and the person driving it had raised the speed in order to flee when the accident took place.

The Hinjewadi police have identified the deceased as Chetan Ajay Sawant (23), Umesh Dnyanba Dhokle (21), Rupesh Ankush Gaikwad (22), all residents of Sutardara, and Nagesh Bhimrao Gaikwad (21), a resident of Kasar Ambawali in Mulshi.

Another occupant of the car, Prashant Shilwant, has sustained injuries. The accident took place at around 2 am near Sayba Hotel on Paud Road.

The Hinjewadi police said Sawant was driving the Maruti Zen car and the five were on their way to Chandani Chowk when their car first hit a bike. The rider, Shrikant Marne, fell off his two-wheeler and was injured.

Senior inspector Satish Devre of Hinjewadi police station said: “After they hit the bike, Sawant increased the speed of the car to flee. As they went a few metres further, they collided head-on with a tempo. While Chetan, Umesh and Rupesh died on the spot, Nagesh died during treatment in hospital.”

The car was badly smashed. The tempo was damaged too but its driver escaped unhurt, said the police.