A horrific tragedy unfolded on Sunday afternoon in Maharashtra’s Nashik district when a private car carrying six passengers veered off a treacherous mountain road and plunged nearly 600 feet into a rocky gorge, leaving no survivors. The accident occurred on a notorious ghat section connecting Trimbakeshwar to Igatpuri, a route heavily frequented by tourists and pilgrims but infamous for its sharp hairpin bends and inadequate safety barriers.
According to preliminary police findings, the vehicle was descending the steep incline when it suddenly lost control at a dangerous curve, broke through the flimsy roadside railing, and somersaulted multiple times before crashing into the ravine below. Local villagers who witnessed the terrifying fall immediately alerted authorities, but the sheer depth and rugged terrain delayed rescue operations for several hours, with all occupants pronounced dead at the scene.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed profound anguish over the loss of lives in a statement released Sunday evening. “Deeply saddened by the loss of lives due to a mishap in Nashik, Maharashtra. My thoughts are with those who have lost their loved ones. I pray that the injured recover soon,” he wrote, underscoring the national impact of yet another fatal road incident in the state’s hilly regions.
A high-level probe has been ordered to determine the precise cause, with investigators examining possibilities ranging from excessive speed and driver error to potential mechanical faults or sudden medical emergencies. The victims’ bodies, recovered after a challenging operation involving mountaineering equipment, have been shifted to a government hospital for post-mortem, while police work to establish their identities and inform distraught families.
The incident has reignited urgent demands for immediate infrastructure upgrades, including reinforced crash barriers, warning signage, and stricter enforcement of speed limits on Maharashtra’s deadly ghat roads. With road fatalities continuing to mount in these areas, particularly during peak travel seasons, authorities face mounting pressure to prevent such heartbreaking tragedies from recurring.