Uran couple killed as truck hits bike on Mum-goa highway

Even as the exact reason behind the accident is not yet known, we think the driver of the oncoming truck was speeding. He probably could not keep the truck under control when he spotted the traffic jam. PANVEL TALUKA POLICE OFFICER

NAVI MUMBAI: A married couple were killed in a road accident after the bike they were travelling on was hit by a truck on the Mumbai-goa highway on Wednesday.

According to police, Ashok Veer, 28, and his wife Reshma, 25, were residents of Ransai village in Uran taluka. Both were employed at a private office at Panvel city and were on their way to work when the fatal accident occurred.

“As they were crossing the Karnala bird sanctuary area around 7.30am, they got stuck in a traffic jam. Congestion is a common phenomenon in that area as some road work is underway,” said a police officer from Panvel taluka police station.

“Vehicles from both sides have to pass through a bottleneck there. There was a truck in front of the couple and they were waiting on their bike for traffic to move when another truck coming from Goa hit them,” he added.

“The couple were crushed between the two trucks and they lost consciousness on the spot. They were rushed to a nearby hospital, but were declared dead on arrival,” the officer said.

The deceased’s bodies were sent to Panvel rural hospital for the postmortem and were later handed over to their families.

“When we reached the accident spot, both the trucks were there. Their drivers, however, fled the scene fearing public assault. We have come to understand that both trucks belong to the same owners,” the police officer said.

A case has been registered under sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Motor Vehicle (MV) Act against the driver of the second truck.

“Even while the exact reason behind the accident has not been understood yet, we think the driver of the second truck was speeding. He probably could not keep the truck under control when he spotted the traffic jam and hence ended up hitting the couple’s bike,” he added.