Pune: In a tragic accident near Kolwadi, Taluka Junnar, eight people were injured in a head-on collision between a Nagar-Kalyan mini-bus and an Ertiga car early in the morning. Among the injured, two young children and a woman are reported to be in critical condition.

The accident occurred around 7:30 AM when both vehicles, while navigating a curve on the Nagar-Kalyan highway, attempted to avoid potholes.

The Ertiga, carrying a family from Thane on their way to a religious ceremony in Kasar Shirur (Taluka Beed), collided head-on with the mini-bus, which was transporting passengers from Alephata.

The victims, identified as Pintu Shinde (35) and Suman Shinde (50), along with others whose names are yet to be confirmed, sustained injuries.

Quick response from local ambulance drivers Deepak Mandlik, Kunal Dumbare, Ganesh Amle, and Datta Shinde ensured that the injured were immediately transported to a private hospital in Alephata for treatment.

Local youth, including Mahendra Saste, Vishal Saste, Ruturaj Kumkar, and others, along with the Otur police, were instrumental in providing assistance at the scene. They helped move the damaged vehicles off the road, ensuring that traffic could resume smoothly on the highway.

The accident highlights the dangers posed by poor road conditions, and local authorities have been urged to take swift action to repair the potholes that contributed to the accident.