Pune: Barshi Police Officer Critically Injured in Uruli Kanchan Accident While Saving Animal
Uruli Kanchan, 22nd August 2025: A police sub-inspector from Barshi sustained serious injuries in a highway accident near Uruli Kanchan early Friday morning while attempting to save a stray animal crossing the road.
The officer, identified as Mahesh Ambadas Galgate, is currently posted at the Barshi Police Station. He was driving towards Solapur in his four-wheeler (Innova, registration MH 24 V 9540) when the accident occurred at around 6:45 a.m. in front of the Alpha petrol pump at Sodtapwadi.
According to the Uruli Kanchan police, Galgate noticed a stray animal trying to cross the divider and swerved in an attempt to avoid hitting it. In the process, his vehicle struck the divider and collided head-on with a truck (MH 12 TV 2828) coming from the opposite direction towards Pune.
The impact left the Innova severely damaged, but Galgate was pulled out alive with serious injuries. He was immediately rushed to a private hospital in Pune for treatment.
The truck driver reportedly abandoned the vehicle and fled after the collision. Upon receiving information, Senior Police Inspector Shankar Patil, along with PSIs Praveen Kamble, Ramesh Bhosale, Somnath Supekar, and Uddhav Gaikwad, reached the scene. With the help of a crane, the wrecked vehicles were removed, and traffic flow on the highway was restored.
Police have launched an investigation and are searching for the absconding truck driver. Meanwhile, colleagues and locals have praised PSI Galgate’s act of compassion, noting that his attempt to save the animal nearly cost him his life.
