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Multi‑Vehicle Crash Kills Two on MumbaiPune Expressway

A spill of rice with cooking oil forced a brief closure that disrupted traffic, prompting an ongoing police probe.

Overview

  • A rice-laden truck lost control early Monday and struck the rear of an edible-oil container and an Ertiga, overturning vehicles in the Khopoli section of the expressway.
  • Two occupants of the rice truck — the driver and his helper — died at the scene and police have not yet confirmed their identities.
  • Several people were injured, including an elderly Ertiga driver who was seriously hurt, and the wounded were taken to local hospitals for treatment.
  • Bags of rice and hundreds of oil canisters scattered across the carriageway caused oil leakage that made rescue and cleanup hazardous and slowed recovery work.
  • Highway traffic police, Khopoli police, IRB patrol teams and Devdoot emergency services cleared the Missing Link lanes within hours and have opened a preliminary investigation into the crash sequence and cause.