11 Dead in Thane Crash as Van Carrying Double Capacity Collides With Truck

At least 11 people were killed in a horrific road accident after a vehicle collided with a van in Maharashtra’s Thane district on Monday. According to police, the crash occurred around 10:45 am on a newly constructed bridge over the Ulhas River near Raite village on the Kalyan-Murbad-Malshej highway. The van, which was reportedly overcrowded, was operating as a local shuttle service at the time of the incident. Authorities described the collision as one of the most severe accidents reported in the region in recent months.

The van was travelling from Kalyan to Murbad when it collided head-on with a transit mixer truck coming from the opposite direction. Officials stated that the force of the impact was so intense that the van was completely mangled, leaving little chance of survival for those inside. All 11 occupants of the van, including the driver, died on the spot, according to local authorities. The victims included eight men and three women, highlighting the scale of the tragedy.

Rescue teams rushed to the spot soon after the accident and began recovery operations. Due to the severity of the crash, the bodies had to be carefully extracted from the wreckage and were later shifted to a nearby primary health centre for post-mortem examinations. Preliminary reports suggest that overloading may have played a critical role, as the van—designed to carry only six passengers—was carrying nearly double its permitted capacity at the time of the collision.

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Officials and local residents also pointed to possible road conditions as a contributing factor. According to eyewitness accounts, one side of the bridge was closed due to ongoing construction work, forcing vehicles to move through a single lane. Locals further claimed that such illegal shuttle services frequently operate in the area, often exceeding passenger limits and compromising safety norms. Police have registered a case and initiated an investigation to determine the exact cause of the accident.

Reacting to the incident, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis termed the accident “extremely tragic” and said the government is closely monitoring the situation. State Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik urged citizens to avoid travelling in overloaded vehicles and emphasised the importance of adhering to safety regulations. Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde expressed condolences to the victims’ families and assured that a thorough probe would be conducted to prevent such incidents in the future.

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