29 July,2014 09:29 AM IST | | Ankoor Anvekar
Due to rains, taxi driver did not notice sheet protruding from truck near Shivle on Malshej Ghat road, and drove right into it; he and another 42-yr-old passenger died on the spot
A 23-old-taxi driver who had just joined the workforce and a 42-year-old man who was the sole provider for his family were killed yesterday when a black-and-yellow taxi jeep rammed into a flatbed trailer truck near Shivle on Malshej Ghat road.
Due to the rains, the 23-year-old taxi driver did not notice the sheet (circled) protruding from the truck and drove right into it; he and another 42-year-old passenger died on the spot
The accident took place around 7.45 am, when the taxi jeep rammed into a metallic sheet that was protruding from the truck. The cab was on its way to Murbad. Officials said that due to heavy rain and poor visibility, the driver, identified as Vaibhav Nichite, did not notice the metallic sheet sticking out of the trailer. A total of six people were in his vehicle.
Nichite, and the passenger identified as Dyaneshwar Jayawant Gholap (42), both died on the spot. After hitting the sheet, the right side of the jeep came apart, with the vehicle careening dangerously on the road till it hit a state transport (ST) bus and came to a halt.
Bharatsingh Bangaya (52), who was driving the ST bus, said, "The taxi driver was driving at a high speed and could not see the thin metal sheet sticking out of the truck. He was thrown to the back seat by the impact, and the jeep came hurtling towards my bus at great speed."
The four others travelling in the jeep, who were also injured, have been identified as Vasant Warghade, Baban Dalvi, Nandkumar Warghade and Deepak Borade. They were treated at the Murbad Government Hospital.
Prakash Gholap, a relative of the deceased Dyaneshwar Gholap, said, "My uncle and was the only earning member in his family.
He has two children, a daughter and a son, who are both young adults. The family was facing a financial crisis and now with his death, they have nowhere to go." A relative from Nichite's family revealed that he had started working as a taxi driver just a few months ago, and has an older brother, who is a farmer.
A case has been registered at Murbad police station against the unidentified truck driver under sections 304A, 279, 337, 338 and 427 of the Indian Penal Code and under sections 184 and 187 of the Motor Vehicles Act. Sub-inspector R B Gaikwad from Murbad police station said, "The trailer truck was going towards Saralgaon and was carrying heavy industrial equipment.
The equipment was placed on a metal sheet that was leaning on the trailer's bed. The sheet could not be seen from afar, and this led to the accident. The trucker has violated traffic rules. Such consignments are not allowed on a narrow road like this one."
