Pune Highway Accident: Truck Driver Dead, Several Injured in Early Morning Crash Near Navale Bridge

Narhe, 24th February 2026: A fatal road accident was reported on the Pune-Bengaluru Highway in the early hours of Tuesday, leaving a truck driver dead and several bus passengers injured.

The accident took place around 4 am between Katraj Tunnel and Navale Bridge, near the Jambhulwadi valley bridge in the Katraj Ghat section.

According to preliminary information, a truck carrying iron pipes and rods rammed into a bus from behind while heading from Katraj Tunnel towards Navale Bridge. The impact was so severe that the front cabin of the truck was completely crushed.

Police officials said four to five passengers in the bus sustained minor injuries and were immediately rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment. The truck driver, who suffered critical injuries, died during treatment, officials added.

The truck cleaner was trapped inside the mangled cabin along with the iron rods, hampering rescue efforts. Personnel from the Fire Brigade used cutters to extricate him from the wreckage. His condition was not immediately known.

Teams from the police, Fire Brigade and the National Highways Authority of India reached the spot soon after the accident. The crash led to traffic congestion on the highway, with long queues of vehicles reported even during the early morning hours.

Police have launched a further investigation to ascertain the exact cause of the accident.