Rajgurunagar: Nearly 30 wedding guests, including men and women, were injured after a bus carrying a bridal party collided head-on with a goods tempo. The accident occurred on the driver’s side of both vehicles near the Gogawale Vasti area in Koye on the Shiroli-Pait road on Sunday, July 19, around 12:00 PM.

According to available information, the wedding of the daughter of Sitaram Kudekar, the Dispute-Free (Tantamukti) Committee Chairman of Washere, was scheduled to take place at the Krishnapingsh Marriage Hall on the Shiroli-Kharpudi road. Since a bridge on the Karamali road in the Kadus area was recently washed away due to heavy rains, two buses carrying the wedding guests were rerouted via Pait. The accident took place when the guest bus and a tempo loaded with cement sacks approached each other from opposite directions, and neither driver attempted to steer onto the side shoulders of the road. As most of the injured passengers belong to Washere village, several families rushed to Pait and Chandoli hospitals immediately upon hearing the news, leaving their farm work midway.

Locals Rescue Severely Trapped Bus Driver

The impact of the crash left the bus driver, Ajay Ganpat Daundkar (49, resident of Satkarthal), severely injured and trapped inside the cabin with both his legs pinned. Local residents and wedding guests managed to pull him out after strenuous efforts. He is currently undergoing treatment at a private hospital. Meanwhile, the tempo driver sustained minor injuries, and the cleaner was hurt after crashing into the windshield. The names of these two could not be ascertained. Despite six hours having passed since the accident, no official complaint had been registered at the police station.

Injured Rushed to Multiple Hospitals

Immediately after the accident, the injured were rushed to the nearby Pait Rural Hospital. Out of these, 11 critically injured patients were moved via ambulance to the Chandoli Rural Hospital. Among them, Sangita Kailas Tarde (43), who was sitting right behind the driver’s seat, suffered facial injuries from the shattered glass pane. Two hours later, she along with Vilas Bhagoji Londhe (43, resident of Loni Kalbhor) and Chindhu Kondaji Pradhan (72) were shifted to the Yashwantrao Chavan Hospital in Pimpri Chinchwad for advanced care.

Patients Undergoing Treatment

Those currently undergoing treatment at the Chandoli Rural Hospital include: Genbhau Kondaji Karvande (70), Shalan Pandurang Kudekar (65), Bhagubai Tukaram Karvande (65), Shantaram Dashrath Gopale (70), Yashwant Jijaram Kudekar (81), Sindhubai Genbhau Karvande (65), and Jayashree Gulab Kudekar (48). Additionally, Bhagubai Shankar Tarde (65) is receiving treatment at the Pait Primary Health Centre.

The remaining passengers who sustained minor injuries were discharged after receiving primary medical aid. They have been identified as Baban Kashiram Tarde (75), Nathabai Shantaram Tarde (65), Sunanda Vitthal Kadlak (65), Prakash Sudam Kudekar (55), Shantaram Genbhau Tarde (67), Chindhu Bhote (45), Laxmibai Nanu Kudekar (55), Mahadu Mendale (80), Laxmibai Mahadu Mendale (70), Bhagu Mahadu Mendale (50), Sidhu Genbhau Karvande (65), Sakharam Baburam Kudekar (75), Sakhabai Dnyaneshwar Dhamale (85), Kailas Kadlak (56), Gopal Marli Kadlak (76), Ashabai Bhau Kudekar (60), Mangal Gabaji Tarde (50), and Chindhubai Sakharam Kudekar (65). Upon receiving news of the accident, police and revenue officials along with local political leaders visited the spot and met the injured at the hospitals.