Pilgrim killed, six critically hurt as container rams walkers headed to Tuljapur in Dharashiv

A tragic accident took place on the Mumbai-Hyderabad national highway in Dharashiv district on Thursday morning. A speeding container hit a group of pilgrims walking to Tuljapur from behind. One pilgrim died on the spot, while six people were seriously injured. The incident has cast a pall of grief over the Dharashiv area.

According to the information available, a group of pilgrims from Basavakalyan in Karnataka had set out on foot to seek the darshan of Goddess Tuljabhavani. The group was heading towards Tuljapur. The darshan of the goddess was only a few hours away when the accident happened.

As the group reached near the Naldurg bypass on the Mumbai-Hyderabad highway, the driver of a speeding container travelling from Hyderabad towards Mumbai suddenly lost control of the vehicle. The out-of-control container ploughed into the crowd of pilgrims walking on the road and hit them hard. The sudden incident caused panic on the highway.

The deceased has been identified as Gurusiddha Baburao Kumbhar, a resident of Basavakalyan. He was 30 years old and died on the spot. Six other pilgrims travelling with him were seriously injured. They have deep injuries to the head, hands and legs.

After the accident, local residents and police reached the spot immediately and began relief work. With the help of the police, all the injured were promptly taken to the sub-district hospital in Naldurg, where they are being treated.

The accident has once again raised the question of the safety of thousands of pilgrims who walk to Tuljapur along the national highway. At night or in the early hours, speeding vehicles on the highway pose a constant danger to pilgrims' lives. In view of this, the administration has appealed to both motorists and pilgrims travelling on foot to exercise special caution and care.