Hinjawadi: Young Brother and Sisters Cremated Together After Fatal Crash

Pune, 3rd December 2025: A wave of grief swept through Hinjawadi as residents bid farewell to three siblings — six-year-old Suraj, eight-year-old Archana, and sixteen-year-old Priya — whose lives were cut short in a horrific accident at Pancharatna Chowk on Monday.

The siblings were cremated at the Hinjawadi village crematorium on Tuesday evening, where hundreds, including classmates and teachers, gathered to pay their last respects. The heartbreaking sight of their father, Deva Prasad, lighting the funeral pyres left mourners in tears, while their mother collapsed in agony, unable to bear the loss.

The tragedy unfolded when Suraj and Archana, walking home from school with their elder sister, were crushed on the footpath by a bus allegedly driven under the influence of alcohol. Priya, who had taken on the responsibility of escorting her younger siblings home every day, sustained critical injuries. She later died due to a lack of timely treatment, according to locals.

Originally from Uttar Pradesh, the family had made Hinjawadi their home for several years. Prasad earned a living through a small laundry business and was known to many in the community — a bond that brought villagers together in solidarity and heartbreak.

The sorrow extended to local schools, where attendance dropped sharply a day after the accident. Many of Suraj and Archana’s classmates visited the family home in the morning, crying as they held photographs of their friends. In the evening, Priya’s classmates arrived at the cremation ground in their school uniforms, backpacks still on their shoulders — a painful symbol of a life that should have continued.

Priya, a Class 10 student at New English School, Hinjawadi, was known for her academic excellence and leadership qualities. Scoring 94 percent in Class 9, she had dreamed of becoming an IAS officer and often shared her ambitions with teachers. A video of her Independence Day speech from two years ago has gone viral on social media, leaving viewers emotional over the brilliance of a young life lost too soon.

“We never imagined that these bright children would suddenly leave us. Priya was always smiling and focused on her studies. Suraj and Archana had just begun their school journey. Their memories will stay with us forever,” said Bapu Yele, Principal (Primary), Zilla Parishad School, Hinjewadi.

“Priya was extremely intelligent, friendly, and disciplined. We were confident she would top the board exams. It feels unbearably cruel that fate took her away in this manner,” said Ravindra Phapale, Principal (Secondary) and her Class 10 teacher.

The incident has sparked anger among residents, who say the area has long been plagued by speeding and reckless driving. Calls for stricter enforcement and immediate road safety measures have intensified.