Palghar: A tragic accident in Palghar district claimed the life of a 14-year-old student, Nikhil Kaluram Girhane, on Friday morning. Nikhil, a class 8 student of Gramin Shramik Sikshan Vibhag High School in Lalonde village, was on his way to school when a speeding trailer struck him, leading to his death.
The incident reportedly occurred around 10:30 am as Nikhil, along with other students, was walking to school at Nagzari Naka, a few kilometres from his home in Chari village. According to a report by Hindustan Times, Sonali Dandekar, a Class 10 student who was walking with Nikhil, sustained injuries to her shoulder and eye in the accident. She is currently receiving treatment at a private hospital, according to a police officer.
According to the report quoting eyewitnesses the trailer overtook a pickup tempo moving towards Boisar, resulting in the trailer hitting the children. The collision left Nikhil fatally injured, while Sonali was hurt but survived.
Possible Reason Behind Accident
Police investigations revealed that there are three Ready Mix Concrete (RMC) plants near the accident site. Vehicles transporting RMC to these plants often spill their loads, causing mud and dirt to accumulate on the road. This forces pedestrians to walk on the road rather than the roadside. The students were walking on the dry portion of the road, which may have contributed to the accident, police inspector Satish Shivkar told HT.
Accused Driver Held, Handed Over To Police
Following the incident, the trailer driver attempted to flee but was reportedly held by locals who handed him over to the police. A case has been registered with the Manor Police, and an investigation is underway.
District Collector Govind Bodke visited the accident site and reportedly directed the relevant authorities to clean the road to prevent similar incidents in the future. The accumulation of mud and dirt on the road poses a risk to pedestrians, and measures are being taken to ensure safer conditions.
