Negligent Milkman Sparks Major Collision in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar; 25 Injured
A serious road accident occurred on Wednesday morning near Nipani Phatya in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar city, involving two ST buses and a car. The collision, caused due to the negligence of a milkman, left 25 passengers injured, some seriously. The milkman fled the scene, and a police search is currently underway.
Sequence of the Accident
According to preliminary reports, an ST bus heading from the CIDCO bus stand in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar to Latur had departed around 8 a.m. The bus was crowded with passengers. As it approached Nipani Phatya, a milkman riding ahead suddenly dropped a milk can from his motorcycle. In a panic, he abruptly stopped his bike on the road.
Following closely behind, the driver of a car (MH 46-N 1038) had to apply the brakes suddenly to avoid hitting the milkman. Behind the car, the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar–Ichalkaranji ST bus (MH 09-FL 7435) attempted to halt just in time. However, the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar–Latur ST bus, coming at full speed, failed to stop in time and rammed into the Ichalkaranji bus. The impact led to a chain collision involving the milkman’s bike, the car, and the two buses, causing severe damage.
25 Passengers Injured
In the accident, 25 passengers from both buses sustained injuries—some minor, others more serious. Upon receiving news of the crash, Pachod Bus Stand Traffic Controller S. S. Pathade promptly arrived at the scene and coordinated emergency response efforts. Ambulances, traffic police, and other relevant authorities were alerted immediately.
The injured were rushed to a nearby hospital, while the remaining passengers were accommodated in another bus to continue their journey.
Milkman Flees, Police Investigation Underway
The milkman, whose negligence triggered the accident, fled the spot following the incident. Police have launched a search operation to locate him and are reviewing local CCTV footage to aid the investigation.
Meanwhile, the accident caused significant traffic disruption on the highway for some time, though normalcy was restored after authorities cleared the vehicles involved.
This incident has once again raised concerns about road safety and reckless driving behavior, particularly by two-wheeler riders on highways.