Three young men in their 20s lost their lives after their car crashed into a divider and fell nearly 30 feet from a flyover on the Delhi–Mumbai Expressway on Wednesday morning. The victims were part of a group of friends returning to Pune after a trip to Jammu and Leh-Ladakh.
The accident occurred around 10:30 am. According to senior police officer Manoj Sikarwar, a group of 12 friends had initially set out from Pune on February 26 in three separate vehicles for their trip to the northern regions. During the course of the journey, one individual returned earlier while another went back separately, leaving 10 members traveling back together in three cars. The group had stayed overnight in Dausa, Rajasthan, before continuing their journey the following morning.
The mishap took place when the Toyota Fortuner carrying the three victims reportedly went out of control, struck a divider, and plunged off the elevated stretch of the expressway. Preliminary findings suggest that the driver may have briefly fallen asleep at the wheel, leading to the loss of control.
The force of the impact was severe, leaving the vehicle completely wrecked and causing critical injuries to all occupants. Local residents rushed to the scene immediately after the crash and assisted in pulling the injured individuals out of the damaged vehicle before transporting them to a nearby hospital. Despite these efforts, doctors declared all three victims dead upon arrival.
At the time of the incident, the remaining members of the group, traveling in the other two cars, had stopped near a toll plaza. They were informed about the accident shortly afterward.
The deceased have been identified as Siddhant (21), Kunal (25), and Mayuresh (23). Following postmortem examinations, the bodies were handed over to their families and are being transported back to Pune by ambulance.
Police have registered a case and initiated a detailed investigation into the accident. Officials have collected evidence from the site and are examining all possible factors to determine the exact cause of the crash.
