Pune, 13th July 2026: Three women Warkaris lost their lives and four others sustained serious injuries after a truck rammed into a group of pilgrims on the Saswad–Jejuri road on Monday morning during the Ashadhi Wari pilgrimage.
The accident took place about 500 metres ahead of the Belsar toll plaza towards Jejuri, near Hotel Shipdeep Lodging. According to preliminary information, the women were walking with a dindi when they were hit by a truck linked to the Rangnath Maharaj Pokharbisikar Dindi from Loha in Nanded district.
The victims were reportedly part of a dindi from Kasbe Digraj in Sangli district. Seven women were walking on the roadside when the truck struck them.
Three women died on the spot, while four others suffered serious injuries. The injured were rushed to an ICU-equipped hospital in Jejuri, where they are undergoing treatment. Hospital sources said some of the injured remain in critical condition.
Jejuri police, along with local authorities and emergency teams, reached the spot soon after the accident. Traffic on the Saswad–Jejuri road was affected for some time before being restored.
Police have begun investigating the cause of the accident and are questioning the truck driver. Legal action is being initiated based on the findings of the investigation.
The incident has once again raised concerns over the safety of thousands of Warkaris who travel on foot during the annual Ashadhi Wari. The tragic accident has cast a shadow over the pilgrimage, with devotees mourning the loss of the three women pilgrims.