Van Driver Loses Control, Causes Fatal Accident During Religious Procession in Beed
Van driver Khatal Mininath (46) lost control of his vehicle due to high speed, resulting in a tragic accident that involved a Veerashaiva Lingayat dindi (religious procession) in Beed. The vehicle dashed into the procession, causing the death of Sindhu Santosh Gheware (42) on the spot.
Several others were injured in the incident, including Suman Siddheshwar Chipade (34), Aruna Umesh Kalmkar (36), Rukmini Amarnath Kalmkar (44), and Vaishnavi Pashupati Bhure (16). All injured individuals have been hospitalised. The pickup van driver has since been detained by the police, according to an official statement reported by PTI.
The procession had commenced from Majalgaonkar Math in Beed on Friday afternoon as part of the annual Nav Gun Yatra, which is scheduled to take place at Manur’s Nagnath Temple on October 5.
Tragic Road Accident in Italy Claims Lives of Nagpur Hotelier and Wife
In a separate incident, a family holiday turned tragic for Nagpur-based hotelier Javed Akhtar (57) and his wife Nadra, who lost their lives in a road accident in Italy on the final day of their European tour. The accident occurred on the morning of October 2 in Grosseto, Tuscany, when their nine-seater taxi collided with another vehicle.
Their daughter, Arzoo (22), remains in critical condition following surgery and is currently unconscious. Their other children, Shifa (18) and Jazel (15), also sustained injuries. The Akhtar family, residents of Civil Lines in Nagpur, were on a 10-day holiday across Italy and France.
Iqbal Azmi, a retired deputy superintendent of police and relative of the family, confirmed the details to PTI. “Javed and Nadra sadly died in the crash. Arzoo has undergone surgery and remains unconscious. Shifa and Jazel are also injured. Two of our relatives have left for Italy to assist the family,” he said.
Support and Condolences from Maharashtra Administration and Local Community
The Maharashtra state administration, led by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, is providing all necessary assistance to the bereaved family. Nagpur Collector Vipin Itankar confirmed that district authorities are coordinating with the Indian Embassy in Italy to facilitate the repatriation of the bodies.
Local officials have visited the family’s home in Nagpur to offer support. The hospitality industry in Nagpur has expressed deep sorrow over the loss. Vijay Chourasia, owner of Hotel Status located adjacent to the Akhtars’ Gulshan Plaza Hotel, described the incident as heartbreaking.
The entire hotel fraternity in Nagpur mourns the loss of Javed and Nadra Akhtar, who were respected and well-liked members of the business community.
(With inputs from PTI)
https://www.mid-day.com/news/india-news/article/maharashtra-woman-killed-4-injured-as-van-rams-into-religious-procession-in-beed-23597320
