17 killed, 5 injured on Mum-Pune exp highway

Mumbai, May 4 (UNI) As many as 17 people, including five women, were killed and five others sustained injuries when a jeep collided with a truck near Panvel on Mumbai-Pune Express Highway here today.

The jeep carrying 19 people from a marriage party was on its way to Mumbai from Satara when it met with the accident. They were scheduled to attend a marriage here at 1230 hrs.

Victims were rushed to the MGM and Panvel Rural hospitals. Three of the injured were said to be in critical condition. Bodies of the deceased, including the jeep-driver, had been sent for post-mortem.

Relatives and friends of the victims were gathered at the hospitals.

Top police officials and district officials visited the site and hospitals. They were supervising the situation.

According to an eye-witnesses, police reached late at the accident spot. If they could reach earlier, few more lives would have been saved, witnesses said.

UNI AAA GR SW HT1157