Pune: A fatal accident early this (January 27) morning on the winding roads of Varandha Ghat claimed the life of 22-year-old Shubham Shirke and left eight others injured after their car plunged 100 feet into a gorge near Umbarde village. Among the survivors was Abhishek Relekar, who vividly recounted the events leading to the tragic incident.

“We had gone to Ganpatipule for a pilgrimage,” Abhishek began, his voice tinged with exhaustion and disbelief. “After visiting the temple, we stopped at a friend’s house for dinner. By the time we finished, it was already very late. Some of us suggested staying back for the night, but the driver refused because he had another booking the next day.”

Against their better judgment, the group resumed their journey back to Pune in the dead of night. “Around 4:00 AM, the car suddenly veered off the road and plunged into the gorge. We were all fast asleep at the time, and the crash woke us up,” Abhishek explained.

The aftermath was chaotic and terrifying. “We tried waking the driver, but he was unresponsive. It was dark, and we couldn’t immediately figure out how to get out of the gorge. Still, somehow, we managed to climb up in the pitch-black night.”

The accident took place on the Bhor-Mahad road, a route notorious for its steep slopes and sharp turns. The rescue operation began after locals alerted the authorities. A team from Shirgaon and the police arrived to help pull the injured and the deceased from the wreckage.

The deceased, Shubham Shirke, and the eight injured, including Abhishek, were taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. The injured have been identified as Mangesh Gujar (26), Ashish Gaikwad (29), Siddharth Gandhane (26), Saurabh Mahade (22), Ganesh Lavande (27), Amol Rekiner (27), Yashraj Chandra (22), and Akash Adkar (25).