Nagpur: Two persons, including a Forest Department official were killed when a speeding pick-up van collided head-on with an Alto car on Mansar-Tumsar Highway under the jurisdiction of Ramtek Police Station on Wednesday afternoon. The deceased have been identified as Swapnil Jadhav, a Round Officer from the Chorbahuli Round, Forest Range (Buffer Zone), Paoni; and Manoj Iwnate, a temporary Forest employee from the same Buffer Zone. The injured persons include Pradeep Suryawanshi, a Forest Guard from Chargaon Beat, and Nitesh Kumbhalkar, a temporary Forest Employee residing in Paoni.
According to Ramtek Police, the forest officials had attended a wedding reception at Goregaon in Gondia District, on the evening of January 23. They were returning to their destination in an Alto car (MH-33/A-4132) when the tragic accident occurred near Murmura Bhatti. The driver of the speeding pick-up van (MH28/A-4771) lost control over the vehicle resulting in a collision with the Alto car. The impact was so severe that both vehicles sustained extensive damage.
Following the collision, the pick-up van driver abandoned the vehicle and fled the scene, said police. Swapnil Jadhav lost his life on the spot. Seriously injured Manoj Iwnate and others were rushed to the Sub-District Hospital. Manoj succumbed to his injuries at the hospital.
Pradeep Suryawanshi and Nitesh Kumbhalkar are currently undergoing treatment at the Government Medical College and Hospital in Nagpur. Ramtek Police has registered a case against the unknown driver of the pickup van under sections 279, 337, 338, and 304(A) of IPC read with Sections 184, 134/177 of MVA. PI HridaynarayanYadav is conducting the investigation
