Two Symbiosis Students Die In Pune Highway Car-Truck Collision
A car crashes into a container truck near Dehu Road, leaving two dead and two injured.
Two BBA students from Symbiosis International University lost their lives, and two others sustained minor injuries when their car collided with a container truck on the Mumbai-Bengaluru National Highway in the Pune district early Thursday morning. The accident, which occurred around 5:45 a.m. near Eidgah Maidan close to Dehu Road—a stretch notorious for high-speed traffic and frequent mishaps—underscores the perils of early-morning travel on one of India's busiest arterial routes.
The four students, all in their early 20s, had been returning from a recreational outing to Lonavala, a popular hill station about 65 km from Pune known for its scenic waterfalls and trekking spots. According to Dehu Road police station officials, the car rammed into the rear of the stationary truck, possibly due to high speed or driver fatigue in the pre-dawn hours. The impact was severe, crumpling the vehicle's front end and ejecting the occupants. Divya Raj Singh Rathod, 20, and Siddhant Anand Shekhar, 20, were declared dead at the scene, while Harsh Mishra, 21, and Nihar Tamboli, 20, escaped with bruises and lacerations.
Eyewitnesses reported foggy conditions along the highway, which may have contributed to reduced visibility, though a detailed investigation is underway. The truck driver, Manish Kumar Suraj Manipal, 39, from Wadala in Mumbai, has been detained for questioning. Police suspect mechanical failure in the truck or lapses in signalling could be factors, with forensic teams examining skid marks and vehicle damage. The injured students were promptly admitted to a nearby multispecialty hospital in Pune, where they are stable and under observation. Symbiosis College administration expressed grief and extended counselling support to the bereaved families.
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This tragedy adds to the grim toll on the Mumbai-Bengaluru Highway, a 1,000 km corridor connecting two economic powerhouses but plagued by accidents due to heavy truck traffic and uneven enforcement. In 2024, Maharashtra alone recorded over 36,000 road accidents, a 2% rise from the previous year, with national figures exceeding 1.6 lakh fatalities in 2025.
Recent incidents on this route include a multi-vehicle pile-up in Kolhapur and a fatal crash near Ramanagara, prompting calls for stricter speed limits and AI surveillance. Authorities have renewed emphasis on the Bharat New Car Assessment Program (BNCAP) and helmet/seatbelt compliance to mitigate such losses.
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