9 Airbags In Rs 1.5 Crore SUV But One 'Mistake' Leads To Nashik Businessman's Death In Crash

News18

4 hours ago

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As another speeding vehicle splashed water onto the windshield of the SUV, the driver's visibility was momentarily lost. In those crucial seconds, the vehicle veered out of control
The tragic death of prominent Nashik-based industrialist Sunil Hekre sparked fresh questions over both road safety and the structural integrity of Maharashtra's much-hyped Samruddhi Mahamarg. Hekre, who was travelling with his family in a high-end Mercedes GLS 400D SUV, died after the vehicle met with a horrific accident near Igatpuri. Ironically, despite the luxury SUV being equipped with nine airbags, advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), and top-tier safety features, a single moment of lost control led to a fatal crash.
According to preliminary investigations, Hekre's son was behind the wheel of the Rs 1.5 crore SUV. The family was returning to Nashik from Mumbai when the incident occurred near Shahpur. Eyewitness reports and police inputs suggest that water had accumulated on the highway due to rain. As another speeding vehicle splashed water onto the windshield of the SUV, the driver's visibility was momentarily lost. In those crucial seconds, the vehicle veered out of control.
The SUV, reportedly at a high speed, skidded, flipped over, and breached into the opposite lane before slamming into the side grill. Despite the deployment of all airbags, the impact was catastrophic. Sunil Hekre, who was not wearing a seatbelt at the time, was thrown out of the vehicle. He succumbed to his injuries on the spot. His wife and both children, including the son who was driving, sustained serious injuries and were rushed to a nearby hospital. The son remains in critical condition.
The incident has cast a dark shadow over the Nashik industrial community, where Hekre was a well-known and respected figure. His untimely death has triggered an outpouring of grief, even as it reignites debates around road conditions and accident-prone stretches on the Samruddhi Mahamarg.
Launched with much fanfare as Maharashtra's flagship expressway project, the Samruddhi Mahamarg has been mired in safety concerns. Multiple fatal accidents have been reported in recent months, raising red flags over design flaws, maintenance lapses, and absence of adequate signage and water drainage systems.
Experts have pointed out that while modern vehicles come with state-of-the-art safety tech, the effectiveness of these features diminishes when external conditions, such as poorly maintained roads and reckless driving by other motorists, are not controlled.