A Shirur road accident near Amble village in Pune district killed three members of one family, including two children, after an unidentified vehicle hit four pedestrians from behind on Thursday night. A fourth family member was seriously injured and remains under treatment, according to a police complaint filed at Shirur police station.
The deceased have been identified as Kaushalya Vasant Zende, 61, and children Soham Rajiv Zende, 13, and Aarushi Dattatray Zende, 11. Jyoti Rajiv Zende, 42, was seriously injured in the crash. All four were residents of Amble in Shirur taluka.
The family was returning home on foot after attending a kirtan programme organised as part of the Akhand Harinam Saptah in Amble. Other villagers were also walking towards their homes late on Thursday when the vehicle, reportedly travelling from the Nhavare side, struck the four pedestrians near Kesari Hotel on the Shirur-Chaufulla road.
The impact threw the pedestrians onto the road. Soham and Aarushi suffered severe head injuries and died at the scene, while Kaushalya and Jyoti were taken by relatives to a private hospital in Shirur. Kaushalya later died during treatment. Jyoti is continuing to receive medical care, the report said.
The vehicle did not stop after the collision and continued towards Shirur, making the incident a hit-and-run case. The police complaint was filed by Santosh Anil Zende, a relative of the deceased. A case has been registered against the unidentified driver.
The crash highlights the immediate risk faced by pedestrians using roads in and around villages, particularly at night and after community events when groups return on foot. The available report does not provide details about street lighting, pedestrian paths, traffic signage, road width or the speed of the vehicle, and these factors remain part of the broader road-safety context that investigators may examine.
The deaths of an elderly woman and two children from the same family caused mourning in Amble. The three victims were cremated at the village cremation ground on Friday in a sombre atmosphere.
The investigation is being conducted by police inspector Sagar Shelke under the guidance of Sub-Divisional Officer Ravindra Bhosale and Police Inspector Vinod Patil. Police are continuing efforts to establish the identity of the vehicle and its driver.
