Teacher on a pilgrimage survives nasty accident that leaves four dead

Thane-based teacher Vandana Mokal escaped the clutches of death yesterday when a speeding tempo crashed into their Ford Fiesta, jumped the divider and hit a van on the other lane of the Mumbai-Pune Expressway. The accident took place at 10.45 am just outside Kamshet tunnel and left four dead, including the driver of the tempo.

Mokal, who was travelling with her family, was seriously injured in her eye. She said, "We were on our way to Tuljapur via Pune to visit the temple of Goddess Tulja Bhavani, when the tempo hit our vehicle. Our vehicle is badly damaged, but by the grace of the Goddess, we were saved."

Constable V A Sheikh of Kamshet police station said, "Tempo driver Amol Bhandwalkar (32) died on the spot. So did three others van driver Dattatray Kamte (36) and his passengers Yuvraj Pandurang Daidile (36) Santosh Pandurang Jagdale (32).

Mokal is undergoing treatment at a hospital in Thane.