Tempo carrying engagement party collides with container truck on Mumbai-Ahmedabad highway in Palghar district.
At least 13 people were killed and more than 20 others injured when a tempo carrying guests to an engagement ceremony collided with a container truck on the busy Mumbai-Ahmedabad National Highway in Maharashtra’s Palghar district on Monday afternoon.
Overloaded Tempo Hits Truck:
The accident occurred near Dhaniwari village in Dahanu taluka. According to preliminary police reports, the tempo-reportedly carrying 30 to 50 passengers from a nearby village-was heading to an engagement function when it collided head-on with the oncoming container truck. The lighter vehicle is believed to have been travelling on the wrong side of the divided highway, leading to the fatal crash. Both vehicles overturned, with the truck crushing parts of the tempo.
Local residents and passing motorists rushed to the scene to help pull out survivors from the mangled wreckage. Fire and emergency services later joined the rescue operation. Several injured passengers were shifted to hospitals in Dahanu and Palghar, with some in critical condition. Authorities have warned that the death toll may rise.
Heartbreaking Loss:
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis expressed deep sorrow over the incident and announced an ex-gratia payment of ₹5 lakh to the families of the deceased and ₹50,000 to the injured.
President Droupadi Murmu, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and several other political leaders also conveyed their condolences.
Police have registered a case and launched an investigation into the exact cause of the accident, including possible overspeeding, overloading of the tempo, and wrong-side driving. The driver of the container truck is also being questioned.
Road accidents continue to claim thousands of lives every year in India, particularly on national highways where overloaded vehicles, reckless driving, and poor enforcement of traffic rules remain persistent challenges. This latest tragedy involving wedding guests has once again spotlighted the dangers of using small commercial vehicles for large group travel in rural and semi-urban areas.