Three women killed, four injured as truck ploughs into 'warkaris' in Pune

Pune, Jul 13 (PTI) Three women warkaris (devotees of Lord Vitthal) were killed and four others injured after a truck accompanying a 'waari' procession hit them in Maharashtra's Pune district on Monday morning, police said. A preliminary inquiry indicated the 70‑year‑old truck driver, who was unwell and on medication for fever and cold, allegedly swerved left while overtaking another vehicle and ploughed down the women, they said. The accident occurred around 8.30 am near a hotel, about 500 metres from the Belsar toll plaza towards Jejuri, 12 km ahead of the main 'palkhi' (palanquin) procession, officials said. Warkaris from across the state undertake the annual 'waari' pilgrimage to Pandhapur town in Solapur district to offer prayers at the temple of Lord Vitthal on the occasion of Ashadhi Ekadashi, which will be celebrated on July 25 this year. According to police, traffic arrangements had been made by dividing the road with a median, with the right carriageway reserved for vehicles accompanying the procession and the left carriageway earmarked for pedestrians. However, some warkaris had been intermittently walking in the vehicle lane. "A truck belonging to the dindi (group of pilgrims) of Rangnath Maharaj Pokharbisikar from Loha in Nanded district was proceeding towards Jejuri on the designated vehicle lane when it hit seven women warkaris of a dindi from Kasabe Digraj in Sangli district," Superintendent of Police (Pune rural) Sandip Singh Gill said. Preliminary inquiry suggested that the truck driver, aged 70, was unwell and had taken medication for fever and cold. While attempting to overtake another vehicle, he allegedly swerved the truck, veering off to the left, ploughing down the women, he said. Nanda Pawar (60), Madhavi Rajaram Salgare (55) and Rajshri Shankar Bhosale (55), all from Miraj taluka in Sangli district, died in the accident. The four injured women were admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of a hospital in Jejuri for treatment, police said. Senior police officials rushed to the spot after being alerted and supervised the rescue operation, medical assistance to the injured, traffic management and other legal formalities. A detailed investigation was underway to ascertain the exact cause of the accident, including the driver's medical condition and other contributing factors, police said. A case was being registered against the truck driver, they added. Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar visited the accident spot and also met the injured women warkaris in the hospital. She instructed the administration to provide all possible help and medical treatment to the injured and expressed condolences to the families of the deceased. NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar demanded a thorough inquiry into the accident. "The tragic death of three warkaris after being hit by a vehicle from the dindi near Jejuri is deeply painful and heartbreaking. Several other devotees were injured in the accident, and I pray to Lord Vitthal for their speedy recovery," he said in a post on X. A thorough inquiry must be conducted to ascertain how this accident occurred. The administration should take all necessary measures to ensure that such incidents do not recur and make the safety and security of warkaris a top priority, he added. PTI SPK GK