Pune, 31 October 2025: A 43-year-old woman from Pimpri-Chinchwad, Pune, was killed in a freak accident on Thursday morning when a large rock crashed through the sunroof of her car at Tamhini Ghat near Kondheshwar village in Raigad district.
The victim, identified as Snehal Govinddas Gujrathi, was travelling with her husband, son, and mother-in-law from Pune to Mangaon in a Volkswagen Virtus when the tragic incident occurred between 9.30 am and 10 am.
According to Mangaon Police, a sudden landslide caused stones and boulders to roll down the hillside. One of the rocks struck the car, smashing through the sunroof and hitting Snehal on the head. She suffered severe injuries and was rushed to the Sub-District Hospital in Mangaon, where doctors declared her dead on arrival.
The car sustained major damage, with the sunroof and windshield shattered. Rescue teams and local police reached the spot and sent the body for post-mortem. Raigad Superintendent of Police Anchal Dalal said an investigation is underway to determine whether loose rocks or a minor landslide triggered the incident.
Tamhini Ghat, connecting Pune to the Konkan region, is known for its scenic views but also for frequent rockfalls and landslides, especially during and after the monsoon season. Several similar accidents have been reported in the past along this route.
Following the incident, the Raigad district collector has ordered a safety audit of the ghat section and directed officials to identify vulnerable spots prone to rockslides. Motorists have been advised to drive carefully and avoid unnecessary travel through the ghat.
Police have also cautioned against opening sunroofs while driving through hilly areas, saying that travellers often open them to enjoy the scenery, but even a closed sunroof may not withstand the force of falling rocks.